Modern Photographers

Tamara Dean is an Australian photographic artist whose work explores rituals, rites of passage, and young people’s relationship with the natural world. Her work has been widely exhibited internationally and recognized with numerous awards, including the Olive Cotton Award and the Moran Contemporary Photographic Award. She has undertaken artist residencies in Australia and the United States, and her photographs are held in prominent public and private collections, including Artbank and the Francis J. Greenburger Collection.

Julie Blackmon is a photographer based in Springfield, Missouri. Inspired by her large family and her role as both mother and photographer, Blackmon uses her family to explore the fantastic aspects of everyday life. As the oldest of nine children, she creates scenes where children roam freely in a world of humor and slight danger. Influenced by Dutch Renaissance masters, especially Jan Steen, and Modernist Balthus, her work blends classical art with personal experience. Her work is held in the collections of major institutions like the National Gallery of Art and the Cleveland Museum of Art. Monographs include Domestic Vacations (2008) and Midwest Materials (2022).

Over the past twenty years, Marcus Bleasdale has documented brutal wars and campaigned against human rights abuses, working with Human Rights Watch and contributing to National Geographic. In 2023, he was appointed Companion of the Order of St. Michael and St George (CMG) for his services to photojournalism and human rights. His background in business and economics, coupled with a master’s in International Relations, informs his research on conflict financing. He’s covered wars in Africa, Asia, and the Middle East, winning awards like the Amnesty International Award (2014) and Robert Capa Gold Medal (2015). He has published three books and lives in Oslo with his family.

Antoine d’Agata, born in Marseille, France, left school at 17 to immerse himself in the world of the night. After living in over 20 countries, he moved to New York in 1991 and studied photography at the International Center of Photography under Nan Goldin and Larry Clark. In 1998, his first book Mala Noche was published. A Magnum Photos member since 20©, d'Agata’s work explores contemporary violence, from economic and political conflicts to the marginalized, focusing on survival and excess. His latest works include VIRUS (2020) on the pandemic and Antoine d'Agata - Francis Bacon (2020). He has published 50 books and held numerous solo exhibitions globally.

Born in Split, Croatia, Paul Lukin began photographing in 2004 and quickly became captivated by the medium. His long-term, self-assigned projects delve into emotional and psychological studies of the human condition, blending personal and collective narratives with dark, mysterious undertones. Lukin’s work has earned international recognition, including being a finalist for the Sony World Photography Awards (2018) and winning the 2024 Exposure One Awards. His prints are held in several public and private collections, and he was named one of the Best Modern Photographers in 2024 by All About Photo Magazine.

Cig Harvey is a British-American photographer and artist known for her poetic, colorful visual storytelling and evocative exploration of everyday life. She began working in a darkroom at thirteen and later earned an MFA in the United States. Her work has been widely exhibited and is held in the permanent collections of major institutions, including the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, the Farnsworth Art Museum, and George Eastman Museum. She is the author of two acclaimed monographs, You Look At Me Like An Emergency and Gardening at Night, and has exhibited internationally at venues including Paris Photo, Art Miami, and AIPAD. Her editorial and commercial clients include New York Magazine, Harper’s Bazaar Japan, Kate Spade, and Bloomingdale’s. Based in rural Maine, Harvey draws inspiration from her surroundings, bringing a sense of wonder, humor, and optimism to her work.

Huang Qingjun, a freelance photographer born in Daqing, Heilongjiang, China, has been creating photographic art for 26 years. He joined the China Photographers Association in December 1998 and currently lives and works in Beijing. His notable works include Steam Locomotive (1992–2002) and Family Stuff (2003–present), along with special series Online Shopping Family Stuff and Homeless People’s Family Stuff. Huang has received awards such as the 2020 Tokyo International Foto Award (Gold) and the 2020 10th Annual International Photography Competition (Second Place). His work has been featured in major media and publications, including the New York Times, BBC, and GEO.

Tariq Zaidi is a London-based freelance photographer whose work focuses on social issues, inequality, traditions, and endangered communities around the world. Since leaving an executive career in 2014, he has worked across 21 countries, with his photography published internationally by leading outlets including The Guardian, BBC, CNN, National Geographic, and The Washington Post. His work has received numerous international awards, including POYi, UNICEF, PDN, and IPA honors, and has been exhibited at major festivals including Visa pour l’Image. He is the author of Sapeurs: Ladies and Gentlemen of the Congo and is currently working on a long-term project exploring hope, dignity, and community in some of the world’s poorest regions.

Marco Di Marco is a Sicilian visual journalist and photographer based in Reykjavík, Iceland. He began documenting the eruptions of Mount Etna in 2011 for local news agencies and has been interested in the dialogue between people and active volcanoes ever since. After relocating to Iceland in 2018, he started working as a freelance contributor for The Associated Press, covering volcanic eruptions and other major events on the island. With an academic background in geology and volcanology from the University of Catania and years of fieldwork on Etna and in Iceland, he combines scientific understanding with a reporter’s eye to build clear visual stories about life on unstable areas.

Jesús Umbría Brito is a photographer whose gaze not only observes, but also engages in dialogue with both the world and the passage of time. He has completed PHotoESPAÑA’s Master of Photographic Projects Program, as well as training in narrative and in the photobook discipline with Ricardo Cases. His work has been exhibited in major galleries, including the Bondi Pavilion in Sydney, House of Lucie in Athens, the Lúcio Craveiro da Silva Library in Braga, and the Royal Botanical Gardens of Madrid. He has been a finalist in awards, such as the Gomma Grant, Head On, ReFocus, Analog Sparks, and the Enaire Foundation Photography Awards. He was recently invited to participate in 2025 Chico Review.