PHOTO STORIES
Faith in Transition
In a remote valley of Northwest Pakistan, Danish photographer Laura Riis documents a quiet transformation. Her project captures the personal and cultural complexities of religious conversion among the Kalash—a small indigenous community navigating the tension between ancestral traditions and Islam. Through tender, intimate portraits, Riis explores faith, identity, and the difficult choices faced by a new generation.
Elegos
Elias Yannas Tsigounis is the winner of the inaugural ZERO.NINE Award, selected at the Cluster Photography & Print Fair 2025. His series Elegos focuses on Elias’ understanding of death as a transformative experience, following his attempt to understand his father’s passing. Elias’ work is dreamlike and abstract, but there is a physicality to the construction of these images that set his work apart. We spoke to Elias about what his work means to him.
The Mark of a Terrible Sun
Photographer Ioanna Sakellaraki presents a poetic exploration of disaster and resilience in the Pacific Ring of Fire. Through haunting imagery of Melanesia, the project blurs the line between history and myth, destruction and survival. The Mark of a Terrible Sun will be on view at Hillvale Gallery, Melbourne, Australia, from April 10 to May 11.
Ghost Notes: Portrait of Punk in Derby
Ghost Notes: Portrait of Punk in Derby explores Derby’s enduring punk spirit through portraits and sound, capturing how this subculture shapes identity and community. Commissioned by FORMAT Festival, photographer Francis Augusto documents punk’s evolution—from radical roots to modern expressions—revealing a vibrant, intergenerational movement that continues to challenge norms and foster creativity in unexpected spaces.
In The Shadow We Bloom
‘In The Shadow We Bloom’ explores themes of isolation and anonymity within South Korea's urban landscapes. Capturing people, animals, and objects, the series juxtaposes curated social media personas with the impersonal nature of city life. Through this lens, photographer Aram Tanis examines the tension between self-representation and the reality of contemporary urban existence.
Augmented Unreality
Augmented Unreality is a photographic project exploring beauty in the age of artificial intelligence. It questions how technology shapes our aesthetic ideals, often distorting beauty into a superficial and homogenous concept. By blending AI-generated images with real models, photographer Norberto Pezzotta challenges the perception of beauty, advocating for inclusivity, authenticity, and the preservation of human diversity in a digital era.
People Things
Guided by childhood memories, family stories and literature, Henry Schulz embarks on a journey to reconnect with the past. With his camera, he searches for places that mirror his recollections of Germany—forgotten spaces between city and countryside where history lingers. His photographs capture the cycle of memory and change, revealing a world where the past is never truly lost, only waiting to be rediscovered.
Amtszeichen
Benjamin Sauer’s project Amtszeichen (Official Signs) explores the world of German bureaucracy—its rigid structures, endless corridors and paper-filled offices. Through his images, he captures both the necessity and absurdity of administration, revealing the people behind the system and the clichés that define it: flickering lights, official stamps and labyrinthine rules.
Shetland Pony Grand National
Joe Hart’s photography series immerses us in the world of the Shetland Pony Grand National, where young riders chase dreams with determination and grit. More than a competition, it’s a tradition built on passion, community, and ambition—showcasing the dedication of these athletes and the charitable spirit that drives the event forward.
Anemia
Photographer Valentina Luraghi explores the overlooked struggles of women battling this condition, often dismissed by medical professionals. Through intimate portraits, the series captures the exhaustion, anxiety, and resilience of those affected. Different women, united by their fragility and strength, reveal the silent weight of anemia and the fight to be heard.
In Between
What does it mean to be close to someone? In Between by Nora Obergeschwandner is a poignant exploration of intimacy, attachment and the invisible forces that shape our relationships. Through evocative analog portraits and raw personal narratives, this project unravels the delicate balance between longing and fear, inviting viewers to reflect on their own emotional landscapes and the spaces where connection truly unfolds.
River Where The Oak Trees Grow
Flowing through ancient woodlands and temperate rainforests, the River Dart is both a place of beauty and a fragile ecosystem under threat. Photographer Emma Stoner began documenting the river in 2022 as part of a commission. Since then, the project has evolved into a personal exploration of the Dart’s landscapes and communities, highlighting its natural beauty while raising awareness of the environmental challenges it faces.
Dear Father
Dear Father redefines the father-son dynamic through role reversal, exploring acceptance and identity. In this intimate project, Danilo Zocatelli paints his father’s face, shifting their long-established roles. By revisiting childhood spaces and challenging perceptions, the work becomes both a personal reconciliation and a powerful statement on transformation, memory, and understanding.
Je Est Une Autre
Through self-portraiture, photographer Foteini Zaglåra explores identity, memory, and transformation, blurring the line between reality and fiction. Combining performance, symbolism, and narrative storytelling, her work examines beauty standards, grief, and mythology. She offers a deeply introspective reflection on the self in an era shaped by digital personas and societal expectations.
Skate Like a Lass
Over two years, photographer Juliet Klottrup immersed herself in the evolving grassroots skateboarding communities of Northern England, documenting spaces that empower female, marginalised, and LGBTQI+ individuals. Through her lens, she captures how these collectives redefine skateboarding as a force for inclusivity, turning it into a platform for self-expression, freedom, and resilience while reshaping the sport’s cultural landscape.
The Land of Never After
Marco Vernaschi returns to ZERO.NINE with The Land of Never After, a striking exploration of Argentina’s cyclical struggles between past and present. Through Gaucho’s enduring spirit, Vernaschi challenges narratives of division and decline, offering a powerful meditation on identity, resistance, and the possibility of transformation in an era of ideological turmoil.
Kiss Of Death
In Kiss of Death, photographer Berber Theunissen offers an achingly intimate portrayal of her family’s battle with her partner’s stage 4 cancer diagnosis. Through evocative medium-format imagery, she captures the raw emotions of grief, fear, and resilience, revealing the fragility of life and the enduring strength of love amidst overwhelming uncertainty.
Antigua Walls
Photographer Kip Harris captures the vibrant interplay of architecture and colour in Antigua, Guatemala—a city shaped by its colonial heritage and strict preservation rules. These rules mandate a specific palette for building exteriors, ensuring harmony with the city's historic character. Through this lens, Harris explores how these limitations influence both the carefully composed elegance of upscale structures and the creative, ad hoc expressions often found in poorer neighbourhoods.