Fragile, 2007 Joop Swart Masterclass

Before coming to attend the masterclass in Amsterdam, the 12 participants submitted a photo essay on the 2007 theme, Fragile. An edit of each story was made for a photo book, which this year comes restyled in hardcover, with more pages and more photos than previous years. The book, entitled Fragile, gives the story behind each essay and lets you in on the photographers' thoughts about their work.

None of the participants interpreted the theme literally. We find thoughtful studies from a wide range of points of view. ‘Fragile' can mean dangerous, in the fragile political situation in the Congo. Others focus delicately on intimate portraits. Others still turn the notion on its head and look at what it means to be strong.

In color and in black-and-white, about global issues or personal stories, here is an engaging book with some top-class photography.

The following twelve photographers are included in the book with these stories:

• Ghaith Abdul-Ahad (Iraq), You are an Iraqi
• Olivia Arthur (United Kingdom), Beyond the veil
• Christoph Bangert (Germany), Leaving Africa
• Kate Brooks (USA), Hit list
• Alexandra Demenkova (Russia), Territory of broken dreams
• Agnes Dherbeys (France), The Last Sanctuary
• Cédric Gerbehaye (Belgium), Congo in limbo
• Rafal Milach (Poland), Disappearing circus
• Munem Wasif (Bangladesh), Unwanted and dispossessed
• Sirio Magnabosco (Italy), 3.3 billion
• Irina Werning (Argentina), Family matters
• Xin Zhou (People's Republic of China), Living in the metropolis

Available in English.