Mario Testino | Alta Moda

Photo © Mario Testino-All Rights Reserved

I had little knowledge of who was Mario Testino, apart from knowing his name from the photo credits in fashion magazines (The New York Times T Magazine, which is really the only fashion publication I look at), but I was amazed at his latest photographic work which is titled Alta Moda.

Let me backtrack for a moment. Yes, I do peruse T Magazine to look at the fashion adverts, and perhaps get influenced by the fashion photographers' aesthetic, how they set up their shoots, and the postures and poses adopted by the models, the color schemes and the lighting. It would be an exaggeration to say that this kind of photography inspires me, but it certainly leaves a visual and subconscious residue which I reach for when I'm photographing in India, Bhutan or Bali, etc.

Now back to Mr Testino. Alta Moda is his most recent exhibition at his cultural institute in Lima, Peru. It comprises series of photographic portraits of Peruvians in traditional and festive dress from Cuzco, one of the highest regions of Peru. It's been described a change in pace for the famous photographer, and it seems he spent a considerable amount of time and effort in setting up each image. Alta Moda will be exhibited in New York in the fall of 2013.

Mario Testino is a Peruvian fashion photographer. His work has been featured in magazines such as Vogue and Vanity Fair. He's one of the world's most well known and celebrated fashion photographers, and his photographs have been featured in magazines such as Vogue, Vanity Fair and V, and he has crafted and contributed to the imagery of leading fashion houses such as Burberry, Gucci, Versace, Calvin Klein, Dolce & Gabbana, Salvatore Ferragamo, Estee Lauder and Michael Kors, among others. 

The Ashaninka: Mike Goldwater

Photo © Mike Goldwater-All Rights Reserved

In Focus, the photo blog of The Atlantic magazine, featured The Ashaninka, A Threatened Way of Life; photographs by Mike Goldwater. Be sure to view the photographs in the 1280px option if your monitor allows it.

The Ashaninka are an indigenous people living in the rain forests of Peru and in the State of Acre of Brazil, and are one of the largest indigenous groups in South America. Their number is estimated between 25,000 and 45,000.

Current threats are from oil companies, drug traffickers, colonists, illegal lumberers, illegal roads, conservation groups, missionary groups, and diseases. Roads are being built into the forest to extract mahogany and cedar trees for export to markets in the United States and Europe despite an international embargo. Religious missionary groups are intent on changing Ashaninka culture and belief systems, ignoring the impact on their long term survival.

Mike Goldwater is a photographer, who ran the Half Moon Gallery in London's East End from 1974 to 1980, and who created the magazine "Camerawork". He also co-founded photo agency 'Network Photographers' for photojournalism, documentary photography and corporate work.  He traveled to over 70 countries and his images were published in major magazines around the world.

You may also wish to see Tatiana Cardeal's work on South American indigenous people.