At some point in our lives, we’ve all stopped and stared – either in awe or in contemplation – at a picture. And it’s pictures like that, that connect with us on a deeper level, inspiring us, tickling our curiosity, or just simply carrying the weight of an amazing story we’d love to hear. These pictures seem to magically bring pause to our daily hustle, grabbing our attention ever so naturally, drawing us into their world.
We caught up with Photographer Graciela Magnoni, a Leica Oskar Barnack Award nominee whose work celebrates diversity, humanity, and secrets of the feminine spirit in everyday scenes, for a peek into the brains behind some of these images and to find out what photography and culture means to her.
Apart from a recognition of your inspiring work, what does being nominated for the Leica Oskar Barnack Award mean for you and the work you do?
Photography is a long journey and it can be quite lonely and uncertain. The LOBA recognition gave me the assurance that this project is on the right track and that a larger audience is connecting with the images and story behind the project. It’s very positive and motivates me to go deeper with the project.
What do you love about the everyday moments? Why does your camera love them so much?
I find the ephemeral quite attractive and magical. Simple moments captured by the camera can become permanent memories for us to keep! Details that would have gone unnoticed become visible, enjoyable, and sometimes meaningful. Life is beautiful as it is.
Candid images allow us to see life as it is, emphasising its mystery and magic. Spontaneous scenes around the world provide me with a canvas to explore cultures without borders and capture images with a story to tell.
Having been to so many cities and observing the streets of various cultures, what is one thing that stands out to you regardless of where you are?
The humanity of people! Love is love, anger is anger, sadness is sadness no matter where you are. People express feelings the same way no matter where you are, and the camera is a witness to this.
What do you wish or seek to capture the most while out with your camera?
For the project Nosotras, I sought to capture women and girls in a positive light – strong, confident, joyful and assertive. I would like to capture women and girls from all over the world, races, and cultures. The aim is also to magnify women from countries that are usually portrayed as victims.
What do you hope people take away from your work when they experience them?
I would love for people to smile and connect with each of the scenes and women portrayed, and through them, travel and dream a bit.
In your opinion, what do you value the most behind all our different landscapes and cultures?
I love the way people connect with each other and the idiosyncrasies of each place. Each place and moment has its own magic. The camera does a great job finding these connections and mystery. It’s becomes like a game of hide and seek!
So of all the countries and cities in the world, where would be your personal favourite? Where else would you really love to visit?
To be honest I don’t have a favourite city or country. I always say that my ultimate favourite country is always my first encounter with a place. It is always an excitement for the eyes and the senses and obviously for the camera! All the countries I have yet to visit are my future favourite places!
To find out more about Graciela and her work, visit her website here.
