Shadow & Light Monthly #81

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 journey to the remote Altai mountains through intimate documentary work, explore the Moon through an extraordinary large-scale photographic project, and step inside a long-standing creative partnership with Prince. We also look at the intersection of sculpture and photography through bold abstract forms. From deeply human storytelling to ambitious technical exploration and playful visual experimentation, this month’s selection highlights photography’s remarkable range and creative potential.

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.

A Photojournalist’s Tireless Quest to the Heart of Mongolia’s Altai Mountains

The remote landscapes of Mongolia’s Altai region provide the backdrop for a striking body of work by Claire Thomas, featured in this recent interview on My Modern Met. Her project, Altai, documents the lives of Kazakh eagle hunters and their families, offering a deeply immersive look into a culture shaped by tradition, resilience and a profound connection to the land.

What stands out in Thomas’s photography is the sense of intimacy she achieves within such a vast and often harsh environment. Rather than focusing purely on the spectacle of eagle hunting, the images reveal quieter, more personal moments, daily routines, family life and the subtle bonds between people and animals. There’s a softness to the work that balances beautifully with the ruggedness of the landscape, creating images that feel both expansive and deeply human.

The series is also a reminder of the power of long-form documentary photography. By spending time with her subjects and building trust, Thomas moves beyond surface-level storytelling to create something far more layered and nuanced. It’s work that invites you to slow down and engage, rather than simply observe from a distance.

For more on this project and to explore the full series, read the interview on My Modern Met.

Additional reads

One Moon, 32 cameras, 10,000 Photos

Every now and then a project comes along that reminds you just how far photography can be pushed, and this extraordinary work from NASA’s Artemis II mission is one of those moments. Featured on Digital Camera World, the project brings together imagery captured using 32 cameras and more than 10,000 photographs to document the Moon in incredible detail. Rather than a single decisive shot, this is photography at a completely different scale, built from layers of precision, engineering and sheer ambition.

What really stands out to me is the blend of science and artistry. These images aren’t just technical achievements, they’re visually stunning in their own right. The surface of the Moon becomes almost abstract in places, with texture, shadow and light combining to create something that feels both familiar and completely alien. There’s a quiet beauty in the detail, a reminder that even in highly engineered environments, photography still has the power to evoke wonder.

It also shifts how we think about the act of photographing. This isn’t about reacting to a moment in front of you, it’s about planning, capturing and assembling thousands of moments into a single cohesive vision. It’s a different kind of storytelling, but one that still relies on the same core principles of light, composition and curiosity.

For more on this remarkable project and to see the images, read the full feature on Digital Camera World.

A Photography Book From Prince’s Former Creative Director Shows The Icon Through An Intimate New Lens

The relationship between photographer and subject is often what defines a body of work, and this collection of images by Steve Parke offers a fascinating insight into one such long-term collaboration. Featured on Wallpaper, the photographs document Parke’s time working closely with Prince over more than a decade, capturing both the public icon and the more private, creative individual behind the persona.

What makes this work particularly compelling is its sense of access and trust. Rather than purely constructed portraits, the images move fluidly between staged moments and candid observations, revealing a subject who was both highly controlled in his image and yet open to creative exploration. There’s a strong graphic quality to many of the photographs, with bold use of colour, composition and styling that reflects Prince’s own artistic identity.

At the same time, the collection shows a quieter side. Moments of stillness, reflection and experimentation sit alongside the more iconic imagery, giving a broader sense of who Prince was as an artist and collaborator. It’s a great example of how sustained creative relationships can produce work that goes far beyond surface-level portraiture.

For more on this collection and to see the photographs, visit the feature on Wallpaper.

Cyanotypes of Folded Paper Tessellations Unveil Crystal Patterns With Sunlight

At first glance, the work of Fritz Horstman looks like abstract painting, but in reality it is a fascinating blend of sculpture, installation and photography. Featured on My Modern Met, his Folded Worlds series begins with large sheets of coloured paper that are carefully folded, shaped and lit before being photographed, transforming simple materials into bold, geometric compositions.

What I really love about this work is the way it plays with perception. The folds create shifting planes of light and shadow that give the images a surprising sense of depth, while the strong colour palette keeps everything feeling graphic and controlled. It sits somewhere between photography and illusion, where the final image feels far removed from the simplicity of its physical origin.

There is also something refreshing about the process. In a world dominated by digital manipulation, Horstman’s work is entirely physical, built by hand and shaped through light rather than software. The camera becomes a tool to capture the final composition rather than to construct it, which gives the work a tactile honesty that really comes through in the images.

For more on this series and to explore the work in detail, visit the feature on My Modern Met.

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.