Stories Behind a Shoot: “Close Enough” at C/O Berlin
written by Gentiana Kolnrekaj
How do we get closer to a picture? What are the parameters? The truth is, proximity means something different for each of us, and for each of the actors of an exhibition, the photographer, the subject portrayed, and the viewer.
“Close Enough” at C/O Berlin is a particularly compelling exhibition, showcasing the work of twelve women photographers from the Magnum Agency. Each artist brings a distinct background, perspective, and way of telling stories through the lens. Yet, what ultimately binds their works together, and what stands at the heart of this exhibition, is the closeness to the subject these images hold: the stories and meaning the pictures carry and the emotional resonance they leave with those who look at them.
The exhibition opens with the remarkable work of Bieke Depoorter, a Belgian photographer who travelled through Egypt in 2011. During her journey, she asked the people she met if she could spend the night in their homes. This approach allowed her to grow closer to strangers and capture intimate portraits of their daily lives.
In 2017, Depoorter returned to Egypt and presented these same images to locals, inviting them to comment on what they saw. The result is a fascinating insight into Egyptian society, revealing its deep cultural, religious, and political divides. For a single photograph, responses can stand at opposite ends of the spectrum.
While looking at these images and reading the comments, the viewer is also led to question what the pictures mean to them, forming their own interpretation.
Did she want to be photographed like this of her own free will?
Or what?
Who knows, maybe she is thinking about something in the future?
Why is the picture taken from the back?
People think that the picture should be from the front.
It could be good like this too.
And, what are your thoughts on this picture?
Moving on through the exhibition, the idea of closeness appears in very different ways.
Alessandra Sanguinetti has been photographing Guille and Belinda for about twenty years, two cousins who let her capture their lives from childhood into adulthood, in a project that’s still ongoing. Her pictures feel honest and tender, showing how intimacy can grow through time and familiarity.
Then there is Hannah Price who redefines closeness through confrontation. She started photographing the men who catcalled her, reversing that moment of discomfort into something powerful. It takes courage to engage with someone who makes you feel uneasy, and even more to make them the subject of your work.
Cristina de Middel, meanwhile, approached one hundred people, ninety-nine men and one woman, who visit sex workers. Most of the time, conversations focus on the sex workers, but Cristina chose to turn her attention to the clients instead. Each portrait is accompanied by a short description that helps to understand the reasons behind seeking such services. Some of them will even put a smile on your face, like the last one, which recalls a Pretty Woman happy ending.
Finally, Carolyn Drake points out how a woman’s body is often more scrutinized, and instead chooses to photograph men. The pictures are staged and playful, depicting older men. In this way she makes them feel less threatening, inviting us to rethink how we usually look at men’s bodies.
Adding the works of Olivia Arthur, Myriam Boulos, Sabiha Çimen, Nanna Heitmann, Susan Meiselas, Lúa Ribeira, and Newsha Tavakolian, one can truly dive into each photographers idea of closeness and realise that getting closer is to somehow stepping out of our comfort zone and explore new ideas, realities and subjects.
The exhibition challenges viewers to consider their own boundaries and assumptions, inviting reflection on how images shape perceptions and foster connections across cultures and experiences.
A must see.
Close Enough at c/o Berlin
Sep 27, 2025 – Jan 28, 2026
