The Best Documentary Photographers published in Dodho Magazine. The great stories by Javier Arcenillas, Madoka Ikegami, Arthur Lumen, Allison Dinner and Jorge Chavarria. 

Mongolia by Madoka Ikegami

This is a series of portraits and general shots of the Tsaatan and Mongolian people who live in and around the forests of the East Taiga region of Khovsgol province in northern Mongolia. The Tsaatan ethnic minority are one of the last remaining groups of nomadic reindeer herders in Mongolia, and have been maintaining their traditions for thousands of years. They seasonally migrate within the forests of the Taiga according to weather and food conditions for their reindeer, which they depend on for milk and transportation. More…..

The photographs are not illustrative. They, and the text, are coequal, mutually independent, and fully collaborative. By their fewness, and by the importance of the reader’s eye, this will be misunderstood by most of that minority which does not wholly ignore it. In the interests, however, of the history and future of photography, that risk seems irrelevant, and this flat statement necessary.

Walker Evans, Let Us Now Praise Famous Men : Three Tenant Families by James Agee

– Documentary Photographer –

Landslides in Armenia by Arthur Lumen

My project is dedicated to Landslide in Armenia. The second natural disaster after the earthquake in Armenia. Why do this project? Because nobody imagines the potential danger of landslide. Some people have no idea what it is. By shooting this story I wanted to show the life of people living in landslide areas to the world. Many victims of this phenomenon don’t even know that they are to blame for their fate as well, since landslide is not only a natural disaster, but also a disaster caused by people themselves. About 47,000 people, which is the 1,5% of the whole population of Armenia, are under the threat of a natural disaster called “landslide”. A landslide is a collapse of a mass of earth or rock from a mountain or cliff caused by the force of gravity, which is triggered by a number of factors, such as earthquakes, seismic triggers, and human activity. More….

Los tatuadores de Cuba by Allison Dinner

Amongst all the changes happening in Cuba right now one thing is staying the same, owning a tattoo shop and giving tattoos are prohibited. They are the only art form in Cuba that is still highly illegal. I took it upon myself to investigate this matter, and see just how far it goes. Despite the governments’ suppression tattoo artists have managed to create a thriving underground tattoo scene. This subculture can be found throughout the whole island. You walk the streets of Havana, or any other city, and see people adorned with tattoos. The questions remain the same, where are they getting these tattoos and how are they so well done? Tattooing in Cuba came about in the 90’s by two men in Havana, Che and Leo. I tracked these guys down, as well as many others, and their stories are just as compelling as their dedication to tattooing. They are both veteran skateboarders and lovers of hard rock music. More….

Lucha diaria by Jorge Chavarria

Daily struggle portrays the interior lives of wrestlers in Guatemala. To the local culture, these men are considered “stars” and role models. They live dual lives: as parents that support their families and as “idols or demons” for their fans that follow them every weekend. As a spectator I asked myself, what are they like behind their masks? How do they live their lives? What are their families like? What are their homes like? Portrayed as role models, supporters and loving parents, this series explores the reality of Guatemalan wrestlers and their atypical households. Revealed in a different light that they have been seen throughout history, the series shows the daily struggles of these men who remain both public figures and loving caregivers to their family. More….

Transylvania by Javier Arcenillas

I had a strange life, always with little inconsistent directions and adjusted to normal. I think it all comes from being the north but nobody knows, originally from colder climates that make my thoughts and ways of working a solid foundation and ideology in forms. I guess that’s why I like to do certain kinds of stories. Each containing about sadness and absolute despair of the human being in its most dramatic and other conditions, such as deep and committed not to take me to the inevitable question of whether ignorance is present in today’s media culture. More……