2024 winner: Melanie
Don't look at me or we'll both explode
Trying to overcome the mixed feelings of moving to a new country, a new city, and speaking a new language, I suddenly felt out of my shell and disconnected from myself. I wanted to hide and not be seen. I developed a crush on a guy from my university but felt like I was going to burst at any moment whenever I felt his - or anyone else's - attention on me.
These were my emotions during that brief moment.
See more about Melanie's work and her contact
melanierengifo.webflow.io
Mail to Melanie >>>
@mela.rengifo
A brief conversation with Melanie
EIZO: Congratulations on your award. How did you actually take the photo?
Melanie: Thanks so much! The image was made during my foundation year at ECAL. I had just arrived in Switzerland, changed career paths from political science to photography, and was slowly learning French. I felt very much out of my skin and, at times, as though I might burst under the pressure — this photo was a way of showing that. It came from an authentic place. I took time to translate this feeling into textures and materials that could express it — glass to show fragility and the potential for pain, while the natural elements conveyed a bit more softness.
EIZO: This year’s theme is “Zeitgeist.” Photography being an art form, one often forgets how much technical knowledge is needed to create a good image. In your experience so far, how much instinct vs. planning do you use when trying to create an image, and why?
Melanie: Oh wow. I’ve often battled between instinct and planning. To be free and create what you truly want, you need to plan and set some limitations. Logistics, contacting people, curating products, textures, lighting — all of this is super important so that on the day of your shoot you’re free to do as you please and create with freedom. However, sometimes things don’t work and the feeling is off. I try to listen to that and learn when it’s time to change direction.
EIZO: Speaking of technical knowledge, post-production or photo editing is a big part of the job in photography and can take a good photo to a whole new level, revealing its hidden secrets. How much do you rely on your monitor to obtain the intended results?
Melanie: It’s amazing to have a monitor that gives me a true render from the digital image to its paper version. Colors are everything in photography, and when I’ve worked with EIZO, I’ve always felt confident knowing that what I see while editing is what I’ll get in print and on different digital screens. It’s one less thing to worry about.
EIZO: As part of your EIZO Student Award experience, you completed a two-day internship at Art Basel in June. How was that experience for you, and what were your main takeaways?
Melanie: A-M-A-Z-I-N-G. Really, the team was so open, friendly, and inviting. I had the chance to shadow Andreas and his team, following them around before Art Basel opened. I saw the organizational side, how they interacted with galleries, and of course I assisted during shoots. It was inspiring to see the work behind such a well-known institution and the level of coordination it requires. What stood out to me was that even in such a professional setting, everyone was genuinely doing their best — and moments of stress and tension were accepted as part of the process. Once you accept that, calmness and efficiency follow.
