“Stella is an honest and thoughtful photo-editor, who melds her critique with the photographer’s objective. She truly understands the language of photography, never needing an explanation of a series. Stella’s genuine passion is evident in her support and sensitivity to my projects. It is an honor to work with her.”

-Isadora Kosofsky, photographer

In 2009 I was invited to judge a competition by the Center for Fine Art Photography. I was tasked with choosing fifteen artist portfolios and then choose one whose image would be the cover of the printed book.  That was where I first came upon Isadora Kosofsky’s photographs.

Not only is Isadora a talented documentarian, but her photos of the elderly show a rare sensitivity that appeared in both her composition and the moments she chose to photograph. It was obvious that Isadora was strongly connected to her subjects, and as such was able to create vibrant and intimate photographs. When the competition was over, I asked about her and was told she was 15 years old.  I was stunned!

Isadora is such a sophisticated photographer and I continue to work with her as an editor, helping to focus and shape her stories and find the narrative thread in her work.  I continue to encourage her career (she was recently awarded the 2012 Inge Morath Award), and at the tender age of 18 she is already a photographer to be reckoned with, her work appearing on Time’s LightBox, and in the pages of Le Monde.