Jakob Wagner was born 1985 in Herdecke, Germany. In summer 2008, he successfully completed his three-year apprenticeship as a photographer. He has since been living in Duesseldorf, where he has mainly been working as a freelance photographer, image editor and photo assistant. His work has taken him to many different countries around the world. When Jakob Wagner is not at work by assignment, he devotes much of his time and passion to his personal photography projects, which will culminate in future books and exhibitions. His photographs are available in signed and limited editions.

“Alice in Waterland” is a beautiful series of photographs re-imagining the Lewis Carroll classic underwater. It’s a creation of photographer Elena Kalis, who lives on a small island in The Bahamas, surrounded, she says, “by pristine clear warm water. Underwater is where I spend a lot of time; snorkeling, diving, photographing. It is fascinating how the world changes down below: light, sound, gravity and proportions are different from what we are used to”. (Photo by Elena Kalis)

“David Stoker creates images that tell a story. Rich and atmospheric, his images stop a moment in time letting the viewer decide, or wonder, just what each character is doing. David's work has been recognized in the 2011 Communication Arts Photo Annual, Communication Arts Fresh online, Graphis 100 Best in Photography 2012, PDN’s Photo Annual (2009, 2011), Luezer's Archive, and the International Photography Awards (IPA's – 2009, 2010)”.

Vanessa, thirty-five, had three children with an abusive husband. She “lost her mind, started doing heroin”, after losing the children, who were taken away and given to her mother. The drugs led to homelessness and prostitution. She grew up on Arthur Avenue in the Bronx, but now spends her time in Hunts Point, “trying to survive everyday. Just doing whatever it takes”.

To produce the images that convey his fatalistic and ironic approach to life, tinged with hope, he needed the environment and knowledge of Mother Russia, oiled with a bit of bribery to certain circus trainers. Enter the Great Russian Bear, the personification of Russia for the last several centuries, onto center stage and into his studio. The bear is recognized as both brutish and cute – Misha was the mascot for the 1980 Olympic Games – and has remained a symbol of Russia since Tsarist times. In 2009 it is the symbol of the United Russia Party.

“In a nutshell and to prevent my english readers from experiencing eye bleeding after having read too many syntax errors, I’m a french journalist – I work as an editor, not as photographer – who happens to be nuts about photography. Being the happy owner of too many Leica M for a man to shoot, I spend most of my free time shooting my friend and my town, Strasbourg, in b&w and sometimes in colors”. – Manuel Plantin

Photo: “Even detectives got the blues”. Strasbourg, 2011 (Photo by Manuel Plantin)

In this handout image provided by Disney Parks titled, “A Tale As Old As Time”, Disney Parks invites guests to “Let the Memories Begin”, spectacular new images have been created by acclaimed photographer Annie Leibovitz. Penelope Cruz and Jeff Bridges appear as Belle and the transformed prince, recalling the final scene from “Beauty and the Beast”. The celebratory moment's tagline reads, “Where a moment of beauty lasts forever”. The campaign premieres as a special insert in the April issues of O, The Oprah Magazine, People, People En Espanol, Real Simple, Essence, and InStyle. (Photo by Annie Leibovitz/Disney Parks via Getty Images)