Who is? I am?

Photographer: © Henrik Isaksson

Who is?

Ljuset där du går...!

invited guest: Kathleen Fonseca

People excite me, the streets thrill me. For me, street photography is all about the people. I don't have to travel to a different country, or even a different city, to shoot. The street could be any street in almost any city, Park benches, corner stores, automobiles, trees, sidewalks; all could be anywhere in the world. The street is a stage. The background scenery is irrelevant. It is the drama I have come to see and record. The people and the photographer inhabit a stage, for moments performing their unique script and then someone else takes our place. Lives and relationships overlap, strangers meet, separate, smile, frown, bump into each other. The performance continues with endless acts and scenes, prop and costume changes, lighting and weather variations. I am fascinated endlessly by people whose expression or physical presence is very strong or whose interactions convey some essential human truth or universal behavior.

I feel a great deal of affection and respect for the subjects of my photos. When they knowingly and generously give of themselves for my photograph my joy is boundless and our connection, though momentary, is quite complete. When they are simply and candidly themselves I quietly record the moment and withdraw, cherishing the breathtaking authenticity I have just witnessed. I am honored to capture and preserve these moments in their lives. These people are real, were here, I saw and confirmed their unique performance before the curtain fell and the lights went out. > I am not making a social statement. If there must be a statement that I am trying to convey it's our oneness as human beings, our brotherhood and sisterhood and that I reach into a culture that is not my own to connect on the streets of San José, Costa Rica.

More of Kathleen's work is here

Docu 08: Children's carnival in La Rochelle, France

February 2008
Photographer: © Christo Stankulov

Docu 08: the Pope in Genova

Last Sunday I was walking with my camera in the historical center and found a strange empty city. The fact was that the Pope was in Genova and also it was lightly raining. I walked up to the cathedral, close to my home, and found some people waiting for the pope. But not many like I expected.

I send you my view of what happened then. Not an event, just people happily waiting, the Pope arriving and waving few seconds toward the small crowd, going into the cathedral to get out after a little time. Then going fast into his “papamobile” toward the location where most of the people were waiting for him, sitting or standing with their own ticket to be there! Nuns and privileged hosts exited the cathedral.

A young girl arrived too late with her flag and her map.
Text and photos: © Paolo Saccheri

Quiz: The F Blog "Who is"?

Have you ever wondered who mr. urbano or umma or the youngster or Yngve etc is? Well, me too! I have no idea, and we will probably never find out. But, dear reader of the F blog, - now you will at least have a chance to vote. I will of course not provide you with the correct answer, since I am in doubt myself. But I will display the results of da voting ( I think). This is a summer diversion. Have a look at the sidebar and vote. Enjoy! /The pseudonym