A new photography book, Visitors, takes an in-depth look at the unexpected intersection between art and deathmatch wrestling, a hardcore offshoot of traditional wrestling that involves everything from nail-studded props and broken glass to barbed wire.

A collaboration between Adam Abdalla, the founder of New York-based art consultancy Cultural Counsel, and photographer Nick Karp, Visitors is aimed at both diehard deathmatch devotees and newcomers alike. Abdalla – who is also the founder of Orange Crush, an annual publication that seeks to bridge the gap between art and wrestling – has long been one of those devotees. ‘I’ve been a fan since the late 1990s,’ he says. ‘Back then, the only way to get your hands on deathmatches was through tape trading. It was eye-opening to see elements of real life and real danger – barbed wire, fire, piranhas – incorporated into professional wrestling.’

The book came about when, in October 2023, deathmatch promoter Game Changer Wrestling became the first American independent professional wrestling company to stage their own show at Tokyo’s Korakuen Hall, a legendary venue in the world of wrestling. The event brought more than 20 wrestlers and referees from the US and Mexico, many performing in Japan for the first time, and, recognising its significance, Abdalla saw an opportunity to creatively document the trip.

He brought Karp on board to capture life on the road – before, during and after the show – and the resulting hardcover book, hand-painted in blood red, features 200 pages of behind-the-scenes moments and match highlights, in all their bloodied glory.

Beautifully shot, in graphic detail and a vividly rich colour palette, the images can make for uncomfortable viewing. The matches are violent and there is much bloodshed.

But for Russian-American pro wrestler Masha Slamovich, one of the show’s competitors and a star of the book, it’s important that viewers can see beyond just the violence. ‘I think many people simply turn away once they see the blood and feel their initial reaction,’ she says. ‘But art is not always comfortable or easily digested. Sometimes art makes you stop and think and feel certain things you don’t want to face.’

Visitors, by Nick Karp and Adam Abdalla, £61, is available in a limited edition of 1,000 from orangecrush.art

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Exhibit ‘Photography Strictly Prohibited’ features selection of images from 20,000 photographs taken over 60 years; is on display at BIC until July 7

An exhibition of photographs by Navroze Contractor, titled ‘Photography Strictly Prohibited’ was inaugurated at the Bangalore International Centre (BIC) on Friday. A book with the same title was also released at the event, featuring a few of Navroze’s interviews. The exhibition marks the first anniversary of his death as well as his birthday. He would have turned 80 on July 7 of this year.

Curated by documentary producer, director, and editor Sanjiv Shah, photographer and motorcycle enthusiast Himanshu Panchal, and photographer Anuj Ambalal, the exhibition showcases the work of the renowned cinematographer and prolific still photographer Navroze Contractor. Contractor’s collection of photographs of jazz musicians is now with the Smithsonian Museum. This exhibition features a selection from over 20,000 images taken over 60 years, many of which have not been previously exhibited. The retrospective hopes to reflect Contractor’s empathetic gaze and his ability to capture the perfect photographic moment.

“In the 35 years that I knew him, I rarely ever remember him stepping out of the house without a still camera. Of the hundreds of photographs taken of Navroze, starting in the early 1960s, there are rarely any photos of him where he could be seen without a camera dangling from his neck or shoulder, unless, of course, he was astride a motorcycle. But except for a brief period during the late 1960s when he worked for the Ford Foundation as a photographer, he was never a photographer in the classical sense. Other than the jazz musicians that he photographed for over three decades, he rarely ever pursued a subject or story,” Sanjiv Shah said in the curatorial note.

Shah added that Contractor had the unique gift of connecting with people of all ages and across cross-sections of society. He liked to observe people, meet them, talk to them, and know about them even when he was not shooting pictures. Growing up in a time when the country offered space for multiple viewpoints and artists of all ilk—poets, writers, painters, and filmmakers—believed their work could contribute to the creation of an equitable nation, he aligned with progressive politics that empathised with the underprivileged and the marginalized. “This informed the way he captured people on his camera, always with compassion and never allowing the camera to impose, intrude, or be patronizing. For him, the camera was an extension of his ‘eye’, to capture the world as he saw it. A documentation of his journey through life, in a way, that was not even necessary to share with the world,” he adds.

Other than the jazz photographs and a smaller set of photographs of the traditional Kushti Akhadas of Dharwar, none of his other work has been shown publicly, the curators noted. “In fact, it was only in the last few years that he was convinced to shed his reluctance to share this part of his life and agree to digitise his analogue images, which could then be curated and exhibited,” Shah says. The book and the images aim to share the unseen work with the public.

The show’s opening was followed by a talk by writer Arshia Sattar and included the screening of ‘Jharu Katha’, a 64-minute documentary film photographed and directed by Navroze. The exhibition will be on until July 7 from 11 am to 8 pm at BIC. The exhibition will travel across India, with a longer halt in Ahmedabad in October.

WILLIAMSBURG — Taylor Kennedy got her first camera as a child — then her hobby turned into a career as a professional photographer.

“When my Pop bought me my first camera, he put my biggest passion and my entire career in my hands at just 10 years old. I had no idea I’d be doing this as a career, it was ‘just a hobby’ at the time,” Kennedy said.

Taken by Taylor has been an “official” community business for close to four years.

Kennedy had provided photo sessions for close friends over the years, and while she was on maternity leave from her former job, she thought using her camera skills to make “a few extra bucks” sounded like a good idea.

“I decided to really start pushing for photo sessions and had way more support from the community than I anticipated, so I decided to quit my 9-to-5 and jumped in full-time.”

Kennedy says that capturing people in ways that reflect them authentically and naturally is the key to her success.

“Anyone can dress up in pretty clothes and take a picture, but not every family can be yours. I love how each and every session is unique, I love seeing how full hearts can be even if there’s a little chaos mixed in. It’s the genuine moments, the raw emotions, the true and real ‘now.’”

“I want you to not only look your best but also feel like yourself,” she added

And photography is a lot more than just being able to use a camera, explains Kennedy. Her skills as a stylist, lighting tech, location advisor and editor are all an important part of her process.

A native of Williamsburg, Kennedy says the area makes the perfect natural backdrop for any group or event. She even prides herself on knowing some ‘super secret’ local spots to take the perfect shots.

“I love meeting new people in this area and I love how strong and close the community is. I love how clean it is here and the pride the community takes in their own town. It’s the perfect place.”

Kennedy understands costs can be prohibitive when choosing a photographer.

To that end, Taken by Taylor recently lowered prices and readjusted its packages to reflect current client demand, but Kennedy said that won’t change her approach when it comes to quality or work ethic.

“I believe my customer service stands out a lot from other businesses. I go above and beyond to make sure my clients go into their photo session knowing what to expect, what to wear and how to overall prepare for session,” explained Kennedy. “I genuinely care about each and every person that contacts me, even if they don’t end up booking with me. A lot of my clients like how relaxed and natural my family sessions turn out.”

Family sessions, maternity sessions, newborn sessions and weddings make up most of the Taken by Taylor clientele.

“I want nothing more than to capture memories to be passed down for generations.” Kennedy continued, “Nothing makes me feel the way I feel when I capture someone’s ‘first,’ or maybe someone’s ‘last.’”

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Join us for an insightful discussion with Moksha Patel, an internal medicine physician, as we explore the fascinating parallels between clinical reasoning and photography. Moksha shares how principles like focus, zoom, and flash in photography can enhance medical practice, offering unique perspectives on diagnosis, patient care, and maintaining the human connection amidst the demands of modern medicine. Discover how cross-disciplinary skills can enrich clinical reasoning and why creative pursuits outside of medicine are crucial for clinicians.

Moksha Patel is an internal medicine physician.

He discusses the KevinMD article, “How photography made me a better doctor.”

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HARRISONBURG, Va. (WHSV) – Photographing crime scenes has become a strong skill for Jonathan Snoddy, Harrisonburg Police Department’s lead evidence technician, in the past 14 years. He said his work has become his passion, and now he takes it with him off the clock.

“I started getting some professional gear and really got into it. So, I took what I used on crime scenes for my job and I kind of funneled that into a passion for travel and documenting my travels,” Snoddy said. “The crime scene stuff is a job and I know how to do it. I do it pretty well. But my passion is going out into the field and capturing things of beauty, as opposed to what I normally see in this line of work.”

Snoddy said he grew up traveling around the United States with his family, but it wasn’t until after he and his wife got married that he would begin venturing outside the country.

“I think the first trip out was Belize, and that was it,” Snoddy said. “We went out there, and it was so amazing to see other cultures. Ever since then, we’ve just kind of gone wherever we wanted to and really enjoyed it.”

The passion for traveling and photography only continued to grow after the trip, as Snoddy would eventually visit 21 countries. He said photographing places around the world has allowed him to find peace away from the crime scenes at work.

“I think going out and exposing myself to other cultures and really seeing how other people live gives me perspective, and I just enjoy seeing that side of life. There’s more outside of just the darkness that I see in my job,” Snoddy said. “We’ll be going to Japan in the fall and just getting some new images — just always trying to improve get new stuff … That’s kind of how I unwind, so [I’m] always looking forward to the next trip.”

Snoddy said he hopes to continue his passion for photography when he is ready to retire from the police department and possibly use what he has learned toward future endeavors.

“I’d love to transition to full-time photography. That is my passion. I’m not too sure if the market is too saturated with photographers to actually make a career out of it, but I would love to do that,” Snoddy said. “With having all the crime scene experience, maybe I could transition to teaching classes on that — passing on what I’ve learned in my years here to people who are just getting into the field.”

Snoddy’s work is on display at Harrisonburg City Hall on Friday from 5-7 p.m. For the event, visitors are able to come see his work, meet the artist and purchase some of the pieces for themselves. The work will be on display for the rest of the month with visitors still able to purchase his work on his website.

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Onassis Arroyo is a local avid bird photographer enthusiast who regularly photographs birds and other wildlife in the Yucaipa area. He is especially drawn to a pair of bald eagles, one with a band on its leg, who are often together near the Crafton Hills area.

“From 2021-2024, I made it my quest to try and capture the numbers on the banded female eagle in my photographs. Over time I have collected hundreds of images of the banded eagle,” said Arroyo.

Arroyo updated his camera with additional megapixels to assist with the undertaking of gathering numbers on the banded eagle.

Recently, local photographer Tony Lumsden gave his friend, Arroyo the missing puzzle piece with an image that include the missing numbers on the banded eagle for identification purposes.

“I typed in the band numbers on www.reportband.gov. an integrated scientific program that supports data from banded and marked birds, and I had a hit!” said Arroyo.

“It was great to help a friend with the missing puzzle piece. It has been a fun adventure,” said Lumsden.

Subsequently, Arroyo was contacted by Nicollett Overby, who is a Banding Data Specialist for Bloom Biological.

“The band was placed on the Bald Eagle as a chick near Ramona, San Diego County in 2014,” said Overby.

“This is an exciting encounter as we have never had any previous resights of this individual eagle, and Arroyo was able to obtain the full band number almost exactly 10 years after it was banded as a chick in the nest near the town of Ramona in San Diego County,” said Overby.

“I was thrilled to learn the history of the female eagle and how far she traveled,” said Arroyo. Overby manages banding data for Dr. Peter Bloom. The data goes back to the 1970s. Zoologist Dr. Peter Bloom is an internationally acclaimed raptor biologist and founder of Bloom Research. He has spent four decades studying, banding, tracking hawks, eagles, kites, condors and owls. He works with landowners and the regulatory agencies in conserving their habit.

Dr. Bloom and his colleagues have captured nearly 850 golden eagles and more than 54,000 other types of birds, in a quest to learn more about the importance of natal dispersal, philopatry, movements, and unique migration pattern as they relate to conservation biology, according to Bloom Research, INC.

Bloom and his sub-permittees have banded over 50,000 birds (mostly in California) since 1970. We rely on citizen scientists to help us by reporting the bands and tags encountered in North America, while giving the eagles space while photographing them.

“Citizen banding encounters become an important data point for research into natal dispersal and other movements,” said Overby.

For more information visit the U.S. Geological Survey at www.usgs.gov. Additionally, citizens can report bird banding observations at www.reportband.gov.