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Win a Solo Exhibition in April 2026 + An Exclusive Interview!
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Sirli Raitma
Sirli Raitma
Sirli Raitma

Sirli Raitma

Country: Estonia
Birth: 1975

Sirli Raitma is a London based photographer. She was born and grew up in Suure-Jaani in Estonia. Sirli's images span portraiture, landscapes and interiors, but portraiture - especially involving ambiguity via costume or displacement - is her heartland.

Project - Eha

EHA is a series of portraits of my mother, portrayed in a series of unusual situations, poses and attire. Eha was born in Estonia in 1950. Widowed, suffering from epilepsy and lacking great command of English, Eha stayed tightly involved in our lives. In 2015 Eha began to suffer from depression. Life became bleaker. Something had to be done. I came up with a plan to give her something new to focus on, beyond her new procession of doctor's appointments and medications. The 'EHA' project was born.

'Eha revealed herself to be a natural model, happy to play along with my increasingly imaginative visual fantasies. The 'EHA' project has had an effect on both of us. It is encouraging to see that the results for us are also having a resonance for others. The project has featured in UK and Estonian magazines. The feedback from readers has been fantastic and is consistent it that it has prompted many to look at their own family situations and how they treat each other.'

Websites

www.sirliraitma.com

www.instagram.com/sirliraitma

 

Inspiring Portfolios

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More Great Photographers To Discover

Jet Long
Jet Long
United States
1965
Growing up in the dense, vertical landscape of Hong Kong, Jet Long was captivated by the interplay of light, shadow, and form that defined his urban environment. Surrounded by modern architecture and the constant hum of city life, he developed a deep sensitivity to the structures and rhythms that shape the world around us. After working in Information Technology, he transitioned to photography, channeling his analytical mindset into an artistic pursuit. Now based in Los Angeles, his work involves the abstract forms of modern buildings, capturing the minimalist lines and textures that transform everyday structures into visual narratives. A passionate traveler, he is deeply inspired by the cultures, landscapes, and people he encounters along the way. From remote natural environments to the vibrant street life of cities, he seeks to capture not only the natural beauty of the world but also the rich tapestry of human stories woven into each place.
Emmanuelle Becker
Emmanuelle Becker
France/United States
Emmanuelle Becker is a French-American artist-photographer living in Paris. She studied drawing, photography and printmaking at George Washington University in Washington, DC. from which she graduated with honors and later earned a master's degree in painting from Pratt Institute in New York. After graduating, she worked as a textile designer and then as a graphic designer all while pursuing her fine art career. Over time, photography has become her medium of choice, although her diverse artistic background influences both the aesthetics and craft of her photography. Emmanuelle touches on the unconscious in her images. She works in series and draws on memories and their accompanying emotions to create a very personal visual language which questions, disrupts and reshapes the viewer's perception of reality. With each series, Emmanuelle blurs the line between fantasy and reality to create enigmatic narratives and metaphors. Emmanuelle Becker's work has received international recognition, receiving awards and honorable mentions from many different competitions including the International Pollux Award, the Julia Margaret Cameron Award for Women Photographers, the Minimalist Photography Awards, the Worldwide Photography Gala Awards and the Creative Photo Awards. Her works have featured in exhibitions in Europe, Asia and the United States and been published in numerous catalogues and photography magazines including ALL ABOUT PHOTO and The Eye of the Photograph.
Stephan Vanfleteren
Stephan Vanfleteren
Belgium
1969
Stephan Vanfleteren studied photography at Lucas Institute in Brussels (1988-1992). From 1993 to 2009, he worked as a free-lance photographer for the Belgian Journal De Morgen and always worked and invested in his own personal projects. Actually, Stephan works for museums, he's publishing his portraits in foreign journals and several foreign magazines. He's cofounder of Hannibal Publishing and Cannibal Publishing. Stephan Vanfleteren is art-director for the two publishing houses. PRICES 1996 - World Press Photo Award - Sports, third prize stories - Boxing in Cuba 1997 - World Press Photo Award - Daily Life, first prize stories - Aids, Kenia 1998 - European Fuji Awards 2000 - World Press Photo Award - Arts and Entertainment, third prize stories, Elvis & Presley 2001 - World Press Photo Award - Children's Award, prize singles - Afghanistan 2001 - European Fuji Award 2007 - Nikon Press Photo Award 2009 - Louis Paul Boon award - Belgium 2010 - Lead Awards: 'Portätfotografie des Jahres', Germany 2011 - Henri Nannen Price, Germany - Tomi Ungerer 2012 - Vijfjaarlijkse Cultuurprijs voor de Provincie West-Vlaanderen 2012 - National Portrait price of the Netherlands - Rem Koolhaas, Dutch architect 2013 - World Press Photo Award - Staged Portraits, first prize stories, People of Mercy 2019 - Henri Nannen Price, Germany - Angels of the Sea - Mare Publication. BOOKS 1999 - Elvis&Presley, with photographer Robert Huber (Switserland) 2000 - Buren, with Mark Power & Eva Leitolf 2003 - Tales from a Globalizing World 2005 - Flandrien - Cannibal Publishing 2007 - Belgicum - Hannibal Publishing 2009 - Portret 1989-2009 - Lannoo 2012 - En avant, marche! - Hannibal Publishing 2013 - Façades & Vitrines (Limited edition 666 exp) - Hannibal Publishing 2014 - MMXIV - De Red Devils - Cannibal Publishing 2014 - Atlantic Wall - Hannibal Publishing 2015 - Charleroi, il est clair que le gris est noir - Hannibal Publishing 2018 - SURF TRIBE - Hannibal Publishing 2019 - PRESENT - Hannibal Publishing 2019 - ONUITGESPROKEN - Hannibal Publishing About PRESENT Stephan Vanfleteren is mainly known to the general public for his penetrating black & white portrait photography, but over the past decades his work has ranged to documentary, artistic and personal pictures. From street photography in world cities like New York to the genocide of Ruanda, from storefront façades to the mystical landscapes of the Atlantic wall, from still lifes to intense portraits. The iconic images sit side by side with unknown treasures in this heavy tome containing no less than 505 photographs. In the very personal accompanying text, Vanfleteren reflects on how his own work and the photography genre as a whole have evolved in recent decades. You get a close-up look at his intriguing career from the very beginning, when he travelled the world with an appetite for action. He also photographed his home country: all of the headline news stories of the 1990s appeared before his lens. Around the Millennium, Vanfleteren started to focus on that which is disappearing. With painstaking attention to nuance he created a visual archive of his homeland and of his fellow Belgians, in his own inimitable style. In the last few years Vanfleteren has brought the world inside, to his daylight studio, resulting in many encounters and portraits. This book includes two new series – not previously published – which were born in the intimacy of his studio: an exploration of the still life and a study of nude photography, both in colour. Present is an impressive overview of Vanfleteren's oeuvre that provides a complete picture of him as a photographer, an artist, and above all a human being who faces life with empathy, wonder, and curiosity. More about PRESENT
Marcel Rebro
Marcel Rebro
Slovakia
1968
The first time I smelled developer was in 1985 when I was memeber of National Sport Center (Parachuting) in Lučenec. With the tiny Smena 8M camera, I was trying to capture my parachuting colleagues when descending, jumping out of a plane, or even during the free fall. Burning glass and red light became my loyal friends. Later, with the switch to colour film, I, in turn, became a friend of photo labs. In 2001, I switched to digital and after numerous changes of hardware I remained loyal to Olympus mirrorless. Paradoxically, this change led to a gradual return to black and white photography and a classic photo film. It started with 'ordinary' black and white documentary and street photos, and then along came karate, landscapes, and infrared photography. Today, I work almost exclusively in black and white. When taking a black and white photo, I don't need to care too much about balancing the white or about colour profiles in printing and I can enjoy the actual process of taking photographs much more. Black and white photography is in fact quite liberating. Genres that I specialise in are simultaneously my hobbies - karate, skiing, backcountry skiing, scuba diving, mountain hiking, and travelling.
Pierrot Men
Pierrot Men
Malagasy
1954
At first, I wanted to be a painter, and I pursued this path for 17 years. In my third year of middle school, a painter came to present his profession, and I decided to leave school to follow this path. My father, who was a merchant, would have preferred me to become a grocer like him. He cut oA my financial support, so I left home for the “big city,” Antananarivo, with my childhood friend Léon Fulgence. In a coAee plantation, we made a blood pact, promising each other to become artists—he as a painter and I as a photographer. We experienced poverty and hunger in Antananarivo. After returning to my hometown following the political events of 1972, I worked in the family grocery store. After some time, to show my determination to my father, I drew a counterfeit banknote that he mistook for a real one. He was furious, but he also realized I had artistic potential. After doing various small jobs, I was able to buy an enlarger and, in 1974, opened my first photo lab. I worked on weddings, baptisms, and family portraits to support my family. I used a Soviet Zenit E camera with a 50mm lens, a gift from my sister. My first camera was my father’s old Kodak 6x9, which I used for a long time. I also used contact sheets as models for my paintings, and sometimes even postage stamps, as magazines and books rarely reached the provinces. At the same time, I developed my personal photography, following in the footsteps of my African colleagues Seydou Keita and Malick Sidibé. Today, I have achieved my dream and have been a photographer for nearly 50 years. Statement My name is Pierrot Men, and I'm a Madagascan artist-photographer with a passion for my country, Madagascar, which is rich in human and natural diversity. Photography is not just my job, it's my life. I was born here, I grew up here, and the whole essence of my being is deeply rooted in the culture and landscapes of this fascinating island. My passion for photography finds its purest essence in capturing people in their environment, at the heart of the everyday lives of the people who live in my country. My artistic approach stems from an intimate connection with the people of Madagascar. Every click of my camera is an act of love and a testimony to the Malagasy soul, an immersion in the everyday experiences that shape our lives. By photographing the people of my country, I feel as if I am photographing myself, frozen in situations that I have experienced myself. It's an act of personal exploration as much as it is a visual testimony to the richness of our culture. My favourite tool is a 35mm lens, which allows me to get closer to their intimacy, to feel the warmth of their smiles, the depth of their eyes and the sincerity of their gestures. Each shot becomes a moment frozen in time that reveals the very essence of their existence. When I set out to find my subjects, I don't have any predefined themes in mind. I let my emotions guide me. I photograph everything that evokes a deep feeling in me, whether it's the bright joy of a bustling market, the melancholy of a gaze lost in the horizon or the palpable inspiration of a craftsman creating his art with passion... Each image I capture is imbued with the vital energy of Madagascar, with the love I have for this country and its people. Beyond the lens of my camera, there's communication. I like to immerse myself in the daily lives of the people I photograph. I take the time to get to know them, to listen to their stories, to understand their dreams and struggles. These conversations, often fleeting but always meaningful, allow me to create a bond, a connection that transcends the camera lens. It is in these moments of sharing that I discover the true essence of my subjects, which makes each image even more precious. I admit that writing is not my strong point. My photographic language finds its true expression through my camera. Each image I capture speaks for me, tells a silent story. In conclusion, my images are born of this fusion between my love for Madagascar, my deep connection with its people and my ability to capture the essence of the human being through my lens. Each photograph is the result of a passionate exploration, a total immersion in the daily life of my country. Each one tells a story, not only of those I have photographed, but also of myself, of my own experience as a Malagasy individual. This is how my images come to life, through the prism of my lens, freezing the Malagasy soul in eternal moments.
Anton Gorlin
Anton Gorlin
Australia
Anton Gorlin is a landscape and real estate photographer, who tries to capture the essence of the moment and beauty of shapes and forms. Originally from Ukraine, he now lives and works in Gold Coast, Australia. Anton enjoys the beauty of Australian nature and does several trips a year to keep his portfolio growing. Prints of his photos landed in Ukraine, Russia, Germany, Australia, USA and other countries. Anton's works have been published in various magazines and newspapers internationally. Photography for Anton started off as a hobby when he was sent to Australia for the first time for business. He got a compact camera and became involved instantly. After a short course to get into the techie stuff, he bought his first DSLR Nikon D80 and it served him well for years - until it got drowned in the ocean. Anton is mostly self-taught. After that short initial course, he gained 99% of his knowledge through the internet, articles and later digital editing course by Sean Bagshaw. Editing was always harder to master and Sean's course appeared to be a game changer for him. Anton has been freelancing since 2011 as a real estate photographer and in 2018 he's started growing his business, getting more clients and getting more involved in the real estate photography. Anton runs a photography blog with educational guides and tutorials and some free 4K wallpapers for download. He also performs landscape photography workshops in Gold Coast, Australia and editing lessons both online and offline.
Magdalena Berny
Magdalena Berny
Poland
1976
Magdalena Berny is a graduate from the Pozna? University of Physical Education, self-taught photographer, passionate, mother of two. Over the years, she managed to create her own quite distinctive style. Works by Magdalena were published in Polish and foreign press dedicated to photographs, illustrations used as guides to photographing children and for projects of book covers.About her:" Children as the subject of my photos appeared with their coming into the world. They were and are the cause, they determine the choice of subject of my photos. Photography for me is not only to catch the moments lived with children is also a record of my own emotions, sometimes stronger, sometimes weaker. How I " steal " look and emotions of children is due in large part to my own feelings. In addition to the joy and smile on my photographs often guests reflection, thoughtfulness and even sadness. In photography,I avoid references to the modern world while I often try to embed them in a climate of fairy tales. The inspiration for me as a photographer is all that surrounds me - broadly defined art, but also the place where I live every day as well as those that I manage to visit , and would later become sceneries of my photos".
R.J. Kern
R.J. Kern
United States
1978
R. J. Kern is a photographer whose work explores animal portraiture as it relates to ideas of home, ancestry, and a sense of place. He majored in Art & Art History and Environmental Geography from Colgate University and holds a Master's Degree from the University of Colorado in Boulder. R. J. is the recipient of a 2016 Artist Initiative Grant awarded by the Minnesota State Arts Board. His work received critical acclaim through the 2015 Review Santa Fe, a finalist for Critical Mass 2016, and is apart of the public exhibition series, The FENCE, on display in Boston, Brooklyn, Atlanta, Houston, and Santa Fe in 2016. His work has been featured by National Geographic, PBS, and the World Photography Organization. His work is represented by Gallery 360 in Minneapolis, Minnesota and Ecce Gallery in Fargo, North Dakota. He lives in Minneapolis with his wife, two kids, and goldendoodle, Willy. Project Statement: The Unchosen Ones The Unchosen Ones takes place on the sidelines of county fair animal contests in Minnesota in 2016. One isn't born a winner or loser, but a chooser. This theme I explore in this series. As we look at them, they look back, allowing us to think about how we choose winners and the repercussions for the ones not chosen. The project consists of over 60 portraits made at 10 Minnesota county fairs in 2016. The photographs showcase the subject facing the camera, allowing the viewer to decide what connects and distinguishes these subjects.
Daniele Colucci
Daniele Colucci
Italy
1992
Daniele Colucci is a visual storyteller and documentary photographer whose work explores the unfiltered human experience. Originally from Southern Italy, his approach has been shaped by immersing himself in diverse cultures through years of solo travel around the world. After working as a commercial video editor and photographer in Sydney and Toronto, he decided to document events that reveal extreme cultural expressions, such as the Vegetarian Festival in Thailand, the Exploding Hammers Festival in Mexico, and the Tinku ritual in Bolivia. Check the link: Sacratos He co-founded the documentary project Sacratos.com and has been featured in Eyeshot Magazine, the World Photography Organisation, and FFIEL. His work has rachered over 100 million views on Unsplash. He currently lives and works in Guadalajara, Mexico. Statement "My work moves along the line where ritual, danger, and devotion meet. I am drawn to moments in which people step outside themselves, where identity loosens and culture takes over. I listen to what these scenes reveal about belonging and the human need for transcendence, without drawing any conclusions or judging them. I work close to the ground, with minimal intervention. My main objective is to craft visual narratives that remain faithful to the lived experience. Natural light and handheld cameras allow me to follow the raw energy and rhythm of events. Aesthetically, I am interested in the balance between beauty and transgression, order and chaos. " Awarded Photographer of the Week - Week 06, 2026
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