I have been carrying this one quietly. Letting it become what it needed to be. Now it feels ready to share.
It is called Prelude.
A zine. A beginning. A glimpse of what lies ahead.
This visual digest offers the first look at my upcoming photo book Fashion and Editorial Photography: Sixteen Tales from Around the World. The book will move across continents and cities, telling stories set in Paris, Seoul, Bali, New York, Melbourne, and beyond. The zine takes another path. One guided not by place but by an emotional arc.
Thank you for joining me at the start of this journey. I’m excited to share this with you.
A Visual Emotional Arc in Four Movements
Beginning
Before the story unfolds, there is stillness. A soft breath. A quiet gaze. These photographs honor the moment before motion. The calm that allows curiosity to take root. In sacred spaces, along textured walls, or within the hush of soft light, each subject stands grounded yet open, fully present with where they are and gently aware of what might come next.
Becoming
This is the turning point. The shift from stillness into motion. A glance behind the curtain. A step into the light. A quiet confrontation with the self. These photographs trace the moment when something stirs. A flicker of play. A question of identity. The first stretch of expressive confidence. In between gesture and gaze, there is the spark of something unfolding.
Boldness
Now the story speaks up. The silhouettes sharpen. The colors deepen. The poses lean forward. There is no need to ask permission. Each frame claims its space with certainty. These photographs are about presence. The kind that not only steps into the light but owns it. This is style as self-definition. Confidence that does not wait to be named.
Belonging
This is where the story settles. Not into stillness, but into self. The gestures are freer. The colors brighter. The connection undeniable. These photographs celebrate that moment when a subject does not just arrive but belongs. There is a quiet power in joy, in knowing who you are, in feeling seen. It is not the end of the journey, but a place to rest in its truth.
More Than a Preview
Prelude is not only a preview to a book. It is also a prelude to the stories still unfolding for the people featured in these pages. Many are just beginning their creative journeys. Their voices, their visions, their artistry are still unfolding. What you see here is only the beginning of what they will bring into the world.
Thank You, Ted Forbes
I also want to share my gratitude to Ted Forbes from The Art of Photography and author of Visually Speaking. I recently completed one of his zine workshops, and it was exactly what I needed to move this project forward. He has a way of making you look at your work differently and of reminding you of the value of putting images into print. If you have ever thought about creating your own zine or photo book, I cannot recommend his workshops enough.
Featured in This Zine
Models
- Alauna Jaden Torres
- Hannah Do
- Khaysie
- Jingyao Wang
- Loni Dangerfield
- Mary Jayne
- Meera Jiao
- Mei Li
- Minhee
- Ngán
- Nguyễn Vân
- Pinky Mutiara
- Stacy Huang
- Tina Lopez
- Trương Trịnh
Fashion Designers
Jewelry Designers
Share Your Story
If you’re interested in publishing a zine or photo book with Kisau Press or being featured in a trade magazine, please contact us. We’d love to help bring your vision to print.
© Paul Tocatlian. All Rights Reserved.
Kisau Photography 