As part of the Unseen and Unspoken exhibition, an artist talk with Anna Bedyńska will take place on June 12 at 6:00 PM at CdRF Gallery, Popa Tatu 68. Anna will speak about her photographic practice, how she approaches difficult or uncomfortable subjects, and the projects through which she explores fragile areas of human experience: death, marginalization, vulnerability, the body, identity, and the ways photography can create space for empathy and dialogue. Anna Bedyńska is a photojournalist, artist, and lecturer with extensive international experience and a practice centered on documentary reportage and social issues. She has received major awards, including the World Press Photo 2013 award, the Grand Prix at Grand Press Photo, National Geographic awards, and other significant distinctions in documentary photography. She has worked and exhibited internationally, published photography books, and developed campaigns with social and educational impact. For photographers interested in documentary work, portraiture, visual storytelling, or long-term personal projects, this event offers a rare opportunity to engage directly with an experienced artist whose work lies at the intersection of photography, journalism, vulnerability, and responsibility. It is a conversation about the exhibition, but also about how to build a mature photographic practice that is relevant and connected to contemporary art. Artist Talk: Anna Bedyńska June 12, 6:00 PM CdRF Gallery / Popa Tatu 68 Free admission.

Anna Bedyńska turns her camera toward what contemporary culture often hides from view: death and otherness. By bringing into the light both fading funeral traditions and the portraits of people with albinism, she breaks through silence and invisibility, reclaiming space for empathy, dignity, and dialogue. Clothes for Death We live in more and more dehumanized times, family relations are more and more loose, people relationships are more and more depersonalized. Our life is automatised in many aspects, death and burial are among them. There is a tradition that is almost extinct in Poland, Eastern Europe. The tradition of preparing clothes for death. People who pass away these days at the age of 80 and over, are the last ones who cultivate this tradition. This is our heritage with deep roots in ancient times. If we do not document this now, the next generations will be deprived of it. As one of my characters said: it is not proper to go in jeans to meet the Lord. This is why many old people prepare clothes for death before they die. Sometimes they sew, sometimes they buy brand new and they collect them with pietism. Others say that it must be comfortable and used, as the journey to Infinite is long. Some want it black, others full of colors. Everything has its meaning. Underwear, stockings, skirts, blouses with long sleeves for women, suits and white shirts for men. Some want to take several goods for “the last journey”, pictures of saints, prayer books, rosaries, etc. Wife gives her husband his favorite walking stick and accordion. By selecting clothing that holds sentimental value or has significance in one’s life, the person can create a lasting memory for their family and friends. It's a way to preserve memories. It is said that we cannot ignore the will of the dead, who had declared beforehand what he/she wanted to wear and how he/she wanted to be buried. Otherwise, it is believed that the dead person cannot find comfort and the right way to Infinity. Moreover, the person, who did not fulfill the will of the dead person, can be hunted by the soul of the dead. Discussing and planning these preparations serve a profound purpose – they humanize the concept of death. In a world where discussions about mortality are often hushed and death itself is a taboo subject, these conversations open the door to understanding and emotional support among family members. It allows individuals and their loved ones to express their desires and concerns openly, fostering a deeper connection in the face of loss. This particular tradition is still cultivated in little towns and villages, mostly among the old, passing away generation. People in towns employ the funeral companies that take care of the dead bodies, clothes and other duties. Death is still a taboo. The contemporary society is much more into everlasting beauty and youth and are afraid to think and even talk about the death that is naturally embedded into lifespan. In this series, I hope to not only preserve a fading tradition but also to immortalize the essence of what it means to be human. Clothes for Death is more than a visual narrative; I invite the viewers to reflect on the intricate dance between life and death, reminding us of the beauty in embracing our mortality with grace and profound humanity. White Power There are many shades of beauty. In the glossy pages of magazines, social media and advertising, beauty is often the result of hours of make-up, styling, and digital retouching. Teams of specialists refine every detail to create the polished images we see in public spaces. What remains hidden from us is the unaltered, original face of the person being photographed. The portraits in the White Power series invite us to rediscover beauty shaped by nature itself. Albinism, caused by a recessive gene inherited from both parents, affects approximately one in every 20,000 people worldwide, while one in 70 carries the gene. An albino child can be born into any family, even if there is no history of albinism before. Because their bodies lack pigment, people with albinism have hair, skin, and eyes deprived of color. This absence of melanin makes them extremely sensitive to sunlight, with skin prone to inflammation and eyes vulnerable to conditions such as photophobia, nystagmus, and astigmatism. As a result, many withdraw from the light, both literally and symbolically. Too often, they face stigma, exclusion, and social ostracism. What is a real, genuine beauty?! Beauty that not everyone is able to see? Albinos live in the shade and shadow. “I wanted to pull them out of their shelters and put them on the stage and prove to them and others that the true beauty, is not manufactured by stylists or digital tools, but rooted in authenticity, in the resilience of the human soul, and in the truth of lived experience” – claims Bedyńska. In some African beliefs, albino are considered to be the incarnation of spirits of the dead, there is a superstition that albino body parts have magical powers that can bring happiness to the holder of amulets or potions made with albino body parts. This was the reason for the persecution of the community, including the murders on the trail: Tanzania-Zambia-Congo-Camerun-Nigeria. About the artist In her projects, Bedyńska delves into the world of the vulnerable and marginalized, the sick and disabled. The human experience is always at the core of her work. Her focus is reportage, often exploring taboo subjects. She has documented births and deaths. Among her notable series are Birth with Humanity and Clothes for Death, both of which challenge the taboos surrounding birth and death and have been featured in social campaigns. In 2024 she created the awareness campaign „Spot the Dot”, on skin cancer prevention, using her street photography from Japan inspired by Yayoi Kusama. She likes to detabularise topics that often are swept under the rug, the ones that seem to be uncomfortable or hidden from the public eye and puts women in the center of her attention. She has won numerous prestigious awards, including the World Press Photo 2013, the Grand Prix in Grand Press Photo (2005 and 2017), the National Geographic award, and the „It’s Worth Being Together” special prize in the BZ WBK Foto contest, Annual Award from the Minister of Culture of Poland and a laureate of honorable mention of Publication of the Year 2024. Her debut film, In Another World, premiered in Leipzig at the prestigious documentary film festival and received the main prize for Best Student Film at the Kinoproba Festival in Yekaterinburg. In 2024, she released two photobooks – Forever Mine and Spot the Dot – which not only earned her industry recognition but also sparked significant social and educational impact. Mother, photojournalist, lecturer, triathlonist, mountain climber and laughter lover. A member of the Canon Ambassador Program (2013-2018), Women Photographers and Polish Women Photographers. She has lived and worked in Warsaw, Moscow, Tokyo, Hong Kong, currently in Bucharest. annabedynska.com

This time last week, we were kicking off the 2026 edition of Meeting Point, the program through which we aim to support the development of Romanian photographers by sharing know-how, creating networking opportunities, and facilitating collaborations with professionals from the international photography and art industries. In other words, the very mission of CdRF. Looking back, we can say that the four days of Meeting Point offered participants a complete educational, professional, and artistic development experience. Photographers learned from Marina Paulenka about the steps needed to grow their careers, from institutions and festivals to open calls and beyond. Complementing this, Wiktoria Michałkiewicz spoke about how to prepare for a portfolio review. Last but not least, the masterclass led by Wiktoria and Claudio explored how to break beyond national borders, while also confronting participants with a difficult truth: beyond a certain point, the photographs themselves matter less because technically they are all good; what truly matters is conceptualization, presentation, and visibility. Rui Prata reminded us why a deep understanding of photographic history is essential to artistic growth, regardless of the photographic path one chooses, while Elina Heikka expanded on this perspective by showing how archival photography can be used within contemporary photographic practice. Participants already developing photographic projects also had the opportunity to work one-on-one with Claudio Composti on project editing, sequencing, and conceptualization, and with Gilles Cargueray on creating a photography book. (Incidentally, Gilles’ advice was to collaborate with a designer or with someone who can bring additional value to your images, such as a sociologist, anthropologist, architect, or another professional relevant to your project’s theme.) And finally, everyone took part in portfolio reviews, which already sparked the beginnings of future collaborations between some of the photographers brave enough to share their work and several of our invited guests. Another important part of the program was the opportunity to host an exhibition curated by Marina Paulenka at CdRF. So, on the last day of April (in freezing cold weather and relentless rain) we installed Erika Guadagnin’s exhibition, Home Is Not a Question. Marina spent countless hours arranging every detail of the exhibition so that it would faithfully convey the way Erika’s idea of “home” is constructed through places, memories, and personal histories, creating both an ideal path for the viewer and a clear expression of the artist’s message. Through this process, we were once again reminded of how important the collaboration between artist and curator truly is, and how the very same body of work can take on entirely new layers and meanings through a curator’s edit. We invite you to visit us and see the exhibition anytime over the next two weeks. And finally, many thanks. Thank you to everyone who chose to take part in this event. We met or reconnected with photographers with whom we share so much in common. Beyond the formal structure of the event itself, all of this organic networking proved just as valuable, and it genuinely felt like a wave of positive energy. We would also like to thank the six incredible people who accepted our invitation: Elina Heikka, Wiktoria Michałkiewicz, Marina Paulenka, Gilles Cargueray, Claudio Composti, and Rui Prata. Thank you to Erika Guadagnin for the trust she placed in us with the exhibition Home Is Not a Question. Special thanks as well to the entire CdRF team: Daria, Diana, Angelica, Raluca, Oana, Andreea, Ștefan, Sorin, Alex, Ion, Alex. P.S. Planning for Meeting Point 2027 has already begun. Photo gallery:

A photograph is conceived before the photographer presses the shutter. That means the photographer knows exactly what they are photographing, from which angle, how they are using the light, how they are setting the camera, what the final image will look like, how they will post-process it, and, most importantly, what they want to say through that photograph – and who it is addressed to. This is the promise of our course: by the end, you will know what photograph you want to make and how to make it. Photography Fundamentals is the first module of the Two-Year Photography Program (with diploma), CdRF's two-year professional photography qualification program. It can also be taken independently as a complete course in its own right, ideal for beginners and amateur photographers. Course Details 200 hours, more than half of them hands-on (photo walks, studio photography, practical classroom exercises, film developing, and image processing). Three classes per week: Tuesday and Wednesday from 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm, and Saturday from 11:00 am to 5:00 pm. The course runs from 15 September 2026 to 10 February 2027. Maximum 15 participants. Held at the Center of Photography Resources (CdRF), Popa Tatu 68, Bucharest. Required equipment: a digital camera with full manual controls, at least one 50mm lens (or an equivalent zoom lens), and a laptop with image-processing software installed (Adobe Lightroom). You'll have access to the CdRF library , with nearly 500 photography books, monographs, and magazines, as well as the CdRF studio for independent practice. The course concludes with a group exhibition. Participants may sit for the final examination. Those who pass receive a Certificate of Introduction to Photography. CdRF is accredited by Romania's Ministry of Labour and Social Solidarity through the Bucharest Commission for the Authorization of Adult Professional Training Providers, and the graduation certificate is recognized throughout Europe. Anyone may attend the course, but a high school diploma is required to obtain the certification. Payment options Super early bird - 6000 de lei , until August 15, 2026 Sold out Early bird - 7500 de lei, between August 16 and September 5, 2026 Sold out Full price - 9000 lei, between September 6 and September 23, 2026 Full price Payment in installments - 10,000 lei, down payment 2,000 lei + 4 monthly installments of 2,000 lei; you pay the down payment now, and the monthly installments are paid for the current month, by the 10th of the month. Pay the down payment What You'll Learn Photographic Technique (teacher: Andrei Păcuraru) – by the end of this module, you'll know how to use your camera in full manual mode and how to compose a photograph. A significant part of the course consists of shooting sessions alongside Andrei and the rest of the group, so you'll also leave with your first diverse body of photographic work. Photo Processing (teacher: Alexandru Busuioceanu) – a complete Lightroom workflow, from importing, organizing, and selecting images to editing and exporting, plus an introduction to Photoshop. You'll work on your own photographs and learn how to take them from memory card to final file, ready for either online publication or print. History of Photography (teacher: Cristina Irian) – from the camera obscura to digital photography and post-photography; from the major photographic movements and schools to the microhistory of photography in Romania. You'll learn to situate your own photographic practice within a broader tradition and to use these references in the way you photograph today. The course includes building a camera obscura and visits to museums and galleries, so you'll also discover where and how photography exists beyond the screen. Building a Story Through Photography (teacher: Cornel Lazia) – how to tell a story through a single image and through a sequence of images, using framing, camera angles, point of view, and cinematic principles adapted to photography. You'll complete practical exercises in visual storytelling: conveying a narrative in a single frame, building photographic series, sequencing images, and combining photographs with text. Introduction to Documentary Photography (teacher: Ioana Moldovan) – an introduction to storytelling and story editing in documentary photography. You'll create your own documentary photo series and develop it through image selection and sequencing until its final form. You'll leave with a completed personal project, taken from initial idea to finished work. Introduction to Studio Photography (teacher: Ionuț Staicu) – studio equipment and fundamental lighting setups for portrait and product photography. Apart from the first, theory-based session, the course takes place entirely in the studio, working alongside a professional studio photographer. You'll leave with your own set of studio photographs. Introduction to Personal Style in Photography (teacher: Natan Dvir) – an exploration of photographic history through the lens of the elements that shape a photographer's personal style, combined with guidance in identifying your own visual perspective. The course is taught online in English. Throughout the module, you'll receive ongoing feedback on your own images while developing your critical thinking and reflective approach to photography. Introduction to Image Evaluation and Criticism (teacher: Panos Kasimis) – you'll build the theoretical foundations of photographic criticism and learn how to evaluate your own work more objectively, developing the ability to recognize what makes a photograph successful. The course is taught online in English and includes an individual review of each participant's selected images. Fundamentals of the Photographic Project and Portfolio (teachers: Andrei Păcuraru & Toma Hurduc) – an introduction to long-term photographic projects and portfolio development, combining practical exercises with basic layout and presentation techniques. You'll leave with the concept for a photographic project and your first portfolio. Street Photography Workshop (teacher: Toma Hurduc) – what street photography is and, more importantly, what it isn't. The workshop includes a street photography outing followed by image selection, printing, and identifying the visual thread that connects the work. You'll leave with your own street photography series. Film Developing Workshop (teacher: Ionuț Staicu & Matei Dumitru) – you'll be given a film camera and shoot a roll of film while practicing studio portraiture with Ionuț. Afterwards, under Matei's guidance at ISOpatrusute, you'll develop your own film. You'll leave with your photographs, developed by you and professionally scanned.

Detalii Detalii NEWS Up next: Artist talk with Anna Bedyńska at CdRF Gallery As part of the Unseen and Unspoken exhibition, an artist talk with Anna Bedyńska will take place on June 12 at 6:00 PM at CdRF Gallery, Popa Tatu 68. Anna will speak about her photographic practice, how she approaches difficult or uncomfortable subjects, and the projects through which she explores fragile areas of human experience: death, marginalization, vulnerability, the body, identity, and the ways photography can create space for empathy and dialogue. Anna Bedyńska is a Unseen and Unspoken - up next in the gallery Anna Bedyńska turns her camera toward what contemporary culture often hides from view: death and otherness. By bringing into the light both fading funeral traditions and the portraits of people with albinism, she breaks through silence and invisibility, reclaiming space for empathy, dignity, and dialogue. Clothes for Death We live in more and more dehumanized times, family relations are more and more loose, people relationships are more and more depersonalized. Our life is au Meeting Point 2026 Săptămâna trecută pe vremea asta începeam Meeting Point ediția 2026, programul prin care ne propunem să contribuim la dezvoltarea fotografilor români prin know how, networking și facilitarea oportunităților de colaborare cu specialiști din industria artistică și fotografică din alte țări. Exact misiunea CdRF. 1 2 3 4 5

About the project The "Photography Resource Center" project started from the desire to support the development and professionalization of the photographic community in Romania, at the moment there is a lack of community management and representation structures. Perhaps the biggest challenge of a freelance photographer is the fact that he has to be an artist, manager, salesman, PR and sometimes an accountant at the same time. In the case of amateur photographers, the challenge lies in the lack of finality of the artistic act and in the difficult process of entering the market. The public of events dedicated strictly to photography is a niche and relatively small one. Thus, the project proposes the creation of a photography resource center, which, in addition to a dedicated space, will offer educational programs, professional development programs, artistic events and products, and support services for professional photographers; the beneficiaries of the project will be the center's team, 2 visual artists, 158 professional and amateur photographers, 1215 event participants, 3 talented young people and 3 photographers from Norway. The role of the photography resource center is to connect photographers with each other, and photographers with other professionals in other fields. It also wants to be a nursery where amateur photographers can develop, to be able to take the step towards professionalization. Last but not least, the general objective is to become the most important photo resource center in Romania by developing a management structure for the community of photographers in Bucharest and in the country. The specific objectives aim at: The development of a photo resource center in Bucharest which, by the end of the project, will offer a comprehensive range of resources and services for Romanian photographers, thus contributing to the professionalization and artistic development of the community and Increasing the access of at least 158 photographers to professional development programs and at least 1215 people to artistic events by the end of the project, helping to increase access and diversify cultural products. The project activities include the development of the center in the first year of implementation (mentoring for the team, organizing the space and the program) and the organization in the second year of a series of programs and events including workshops, courses, masterclasses, exhibitions, etc. The center will provide the following resources: --Physical resources – library equipped with books and photo albums, computers with specific software for photo processing, workspaces and at least one fully equipped photo studio; --Resources to facilitate skills development – authorized courses, photography workshops, masterclasses and portfolio assessments, discussions and information transfer opportunities for professional and amateur photographers; --Resources for promoting photographers – exhibitions, author photography sales events and creative residencies. The partner from Norway - Morten Bruun - will be actively involved in the construction of the center and the services offered, providing lecturers and mentors from Norway, communicating the project in Norway and supporting the development of the center. The results of the project are 3 jobs, 1215 participants in cultural activities, 1 SME supported, 7 professionals with skills/expertise developed at the workplace, 22 contemporary art activities supported and the strengthening of bilateral collaboration. The Photography Resource Center project is financed by the EEA Grants 2014 - 2021 within the RO-CULTURE Program. ..... The EEA Grants represent the contribution of Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway towards a green, competitive and inclusive Europe. There are two overall objectives: reduction of economic and social disparities in Europe, and to strengthen bilateral relations between the donor countries and 15 EU countries in Central and Southern Europe and the Baltics. The three donor countries cooperate closely with the EU through the Agreement on the European Economic Area (EEA). The donors have provided €3.3 billion through consecutive grant schemes between 1994 and 2014. For the period 2014-2021, the EEA Grants amount to €1.55 billion. More details are available on: www.eeagrants.org and www.eeagrants.ro . RO-CULTURE is implemented in Romania by the Ministry of Culture through the Project Management Unit. The Programme aims at strengthening social and economic development through cultural cooperation, cultural entrepreneurship and cultural heritage management. The total budget amounts to almost 34 million EUR. For more details access: www.ro-cultura.ro