Dylan E. Richards

Lives in New York, New York

escalate-photography.com   /   Facebook   /   Instagram

Dylan E. Richards, the founder of Escalate Photography, is a photographer from New York who loves to capture moments on the streets. His aunt gave him a camera when he was 6 years old and he hasn’t stopped shooting since.

He admires and admits to being influenced by Vivian Maier, Robert Doisneau, and Henri Cartier-Bresson: “I really enjoy the work of these photographers because they truly demonstrate an understanding of, and compassion for, the human condition. They make spectacles of the tiny but essential things in life.”

“If I could offer one piece of advice to street photographers (or any photographer who wants to capture moments), it would be to put the camera down for a little while and really focus on learning to see and anticipate. Seeing is the hard part. Look at things, follow things, and learn how people and light behave throughout the day.”

Erika Jensen-Mann

Lives in Canmore, Alberta

mannsaroundtheworld.com   /   twomann.com   /   reallifeconference.com   /   Facebook   /    Instagram

Erika Jensen-Mann is one half of Two Mann Studios. She has not be drawn to photography since a young age. She questions the value of everything she does, especially photography. She often questions her career choice and still wonders what she wants to be when she grows up. She is in a constant search for meaning, and finding that meaning in photography has been hard. She thinks that all of these thoughts are completely normal, and just part of being a strong, healthy woman. It wasn’t until recently that she realized that the meaning has nothing to do with the actual photography. It is found in the relationships she fosters, what she chooses to focus on and choosing to see the world with wonder and curiosity (even when it’s really boring). Her photographs are a bi-product of all of this. Erika is easily excitable, impatience, blunt as fuck (especially with her husband Lanny), and adventurous.

Tasneem Alsultan

Lives in Saudi Arabia

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Tasneem was born in the US and educated in England, returning to Saudi for her undergraduate studies. Her masters focused on the ethnographic study of Saudi women abroad, receiving an MA from Portland State University. After years of teaching in universities between Saudi and the United States, she ventured into photography. As one of the premiere wedding photographers in the GCC, Tasneem documented the traditions and cultures that were celebrated. After shooting weddings, she now uses her story telling experience to document topics focusing on human rights specific to gender and social issues in Saudi. Selected as one of the 10 grantees of the Magnum Foundation/ Prince Clause/ AFAC grant in 2015, she began working on her project Saudi Tales of Love which was published in Time’s Lightbox, and later exhibited in PhotoKathmandu and Paris Photo. In April 2016, Tasneem was selected by British Journal Photography among best 16 emerging photographers to watch, and PDN’s 30 photographers to watch in 2017. Her project ‘Saudi Tales of Love’ won 1’st prize in Sony World Photo Awards, for contemporary Issues in 2017.