Shadow & Light Monthly #70

Shadow & Light is a list of curated photography stories, features, techniques, news and inspiration that I’ve come across this month.

In this edition we explore at how one photographer explores the lingering effects of war and look at life inside one of El Salvador’s notorious prisons. We see a project exploring girls on the cusp of adulthood and see Tina Turner as you’ve never seen her before.

So, with no further ado, I give you this month’s Shadow & Light Monthly. Go grab yourself a cuppa and enjoy this month’s selections below. Please let me know in the comments what you think.

Pick of the Month – How An-My Lê Makes Meaning from History’s Psychic Debris

In his essay for Aperture, poet Ocean Vuong delves into An-My Lê’s photographic exploration of war, memory, and displacement, as presented in her seminal monograph Small Wars. Spanning three decades, Lê’s work traverses Vietnam and the United States, capturing the lingering effects of conflict through a distinctive interplay of blurred motion and stillness. This approach challenges conventional war photography by highlighting moments of quiet resilience and everyday life amidst historical turbulence.

Lê’s series—Viêt Nam, Small Wars, and 29 Palms—eschew a singular stylistic voice, instead allowing each project’s inquiry to dictate its visual language. This methodology reflects the complexities of imperial history and the fragmented narratives of displaced communities. Vuong notes that Lê’s images, often captured with a view camera at slower shutter speeds, evoke a sense of scenes both discovered and deliberately composed. Such photographs serve as a reclamation of agency, portraying Vietnamese bodies not as passive victims but as active participants in their own stories.

For a comprehensive exploration of An-My Lê’s work and Ocean Vuong’s insights, read the full article on Aperture.

Additional Reads

Photographer’s Distressing Photos Capture Life Inside El Salvador’s Notorious Prison

Photojournalist Philip Holsinger offers an unflinching look inside El Salvador’s notorious mega-prison, CECOT (Terrorism Confinement Center), in his latest series. Holsinger documented the arrival of Venezuelan detainees deported from the United States, capturing their transition from civilians to inmates under the prison’s stringent regime. His photographs chronicle the entire process: from the detainees’ arrival on the tarmac, through their forced compliance into submissive postures, to the shaving of their heads—a transformation Holsinger describes as watching them “become ghosts.” 

Having spent over a year embedded with El Salvador’s military and police, Holsinger gained unprecedented access to CECOT, a facility known for its severe conditions, including 24-hour lighting, overcrowded cells, and strict surveillance. His images reveal the stark reality of life inside the prison, highlighting the dehumanising treatment of inmates and raising questions about the broader implications of such punitive systems. For a comprehensive exploration of Holsinger’s work and insights into CECOT, read the full article on PetaPixel. 

Sally Mann’s Photographs of Girls on the Cusp of Adulthood

Sally Mann’s At Twelve: Portraits of Young Women, first published in 1988 and recently reissued by Aperture, offers a compelling exploration of girlhood at the threshold of adolescence. Photographed in Mann’s native Rockbridge County, Virginia, the series captures twelve-year-old girls navigating the complex transition from childhood to adulthood.

Mann’s portraits are notable for their unflinching honesty and the direct gaze of her subjects. The photographs reveal a spectrum of emotions and circumstances—innocence, defiance, vulnerability, and strength—without resorting to sentimentality. The images are less about documenting a specific time and more about capturing the timeless essence of adolescence, where the line between girlhood and womanhood blurs.

The reissue of At Twelve invites contemporary audiences to reconsider these portraits in light of ongoing conversations about youth, agency, and representation. For a deeper understanding of Mann’s work and its enduring impact, read the full article on Aperture.

And Finally – Tina Turner as You’ve Never Seen Her: Peter Lindbergh’s Intimate Portraits Revealed

A new photography book from Taschen, Tina Turner by Peter Lindbergh, offers an intimate portrayal of the Queen of Rock ’n’ Roll through the lens of one of fashion photography’s most revered figures. Lindbergh, celebrated for his stripped-back black-and-white portraiture and commitment to natural beauty, captured Turner over several decades, revealing not just her stage persona but her true self.

Their collaboration was more than professional; it was a creative partnership built on mutual trust and friendship. Turner once remarked, “No shot was too outrageous for Peter. He knew that I was a bit of a tomboy, so we were partners in crime… Together, we made magic!” 

The book features a collection of deeply personal portraits, showcasing Turner in various settings—from rooftops and beaches to rehearsal spaces and even hanging on the side of the Eiffel Tower. These images capture the essence of Turner, presenting her as both an icon and an individual.

To see more from this remarkable collection and read more about the enduring artistic bond between Tina Turner and Peter Lindbergh, read the full article on Digital Camera World.

Until Next Time…

I hope you enjoy the articles above. Don’t forget you can follow my Shadow & Light magazine over on Flipboard if you’d like to see more of what I’m reading if you like what you’ve seen here.