The end of the year is always a good time to pause and reflect on what has happened in yet another chapter of our lives drawing to a close. For FotoRoom, this means looking back at all the photographic projects we’ve featured in the last 12 months, and highlighting those which are particularly worthy of a second look.

We start with a list of the 10 most seen series out of all those we’ve published in 2019. In the next days, we’ll also release a list of FotoRoom’s favorite series, and one more list reserved to projects that premiered on FotoRoom in our special FotoFirst segment.

Half Me & Half Real by Yu Suet Man

In these images, Hong Kong photographer Yu Suet Man explores the feelings of repression and constraint—and the consequential need for liberation—that the women who posed for her and herself experience as young girls living in Hong Kong.

State of Identity by Milan Gies

Was there ever a time in the history of humanity where identity—and sexual identity specifically—was more fluid than it is today? The series State of Identity by Dutch photographer Milan Gies comments on current definitions of gender through a series of staged portraits of young men going through sex change.

Meeting Sofie by Snezhana von Budigen

German photographer Snezhana von Büdigen met Sofie, a girl with Down syndrome, in 2017, and was so fascinated by her that she spent time with and photographed her on the farm where Sofie lives with her family. The result is a series of spellbinding photographs that look like scenes from a children‘s fable.

Hiding from Baba Yaga by Nanna Heitmann

The Yenisei river is born in Mongolia, runs through all of Siberia and finally flows into the Arctic Ocean. German photographer Nanna Heitmann journeyed along its path and through the territories it crosses, taking poetic photographs of the landscapes and people she came across.

The Days with Zhiyu by Alex Huanfa Cheng

Chinese photographer Alex Huanfa Cheng and his partner Zhiyu have been lovers since 2012. Since early on in their relationship, Alex has been taking tender and intimate pictures of Zhiyu in times of both happiness and sadness.

Still Neighborhood by Vaggelis Tatsis

In recent years, Greece was hit by a major economic crisis that has deeply affected the country and the general quality of life of its population. The series Still Neighborhood by Greek photographer Vaggelis Tatsis captures these difficult times through a mix of desolate urban landscapes and gloomy portraits of individuals in their homes.

You Don’t Look Native to Me by Maria Sturm

For her series You Don’t Look Native to Me, German photographer Maria Sturm photographed the people of Pembroke, a small town in North Carolina where 89% of the population identifies as Native Americans. In particular, Maria focused on Pembroke’s younger people and how they blend symbols that affirm their identity into their looks.

The Shape of Self by Alessio Maximilian Schroder

The Shape of Self by Italian photographer Alessio Maximilian Schroder is a series of staged portraits of Indian hijras, transgenders and transsexuals, who often face prejudice and discrimination, that Alessio photographed in the intimacy of their homes.

So Long and Thanks for All The Fish by Tianxi Wang

After living in the USA for a while, Chinese photographer Tianxi Wang had to abruptly return to China due to his visa being terminated. He settled in the city of Tianjin, where he took solace from a time of distress by photographing the waters of the Hai river, and the people who go to the river to swim and catch fish. (Tianxi’s project So Long and Thanks for All The Fish premiered in FotoFirst).

Alvine Road by Shaun Pierson

For his series Alvine Road, American photographer Shaun Pierson turned the lens on his family members, a process that proved helpful for Shaun to come to terms with his tumultuous childhood and to repair broken relationships with some of his closest relatives. (Alvin’s project Alvine Road premiered in FotoFirst).

Be sure to also check out our list of FotoRoom’s 10 favorite series of 2019, and that of FotoRoom’s 10 favorite series that premiered in FotoFirst.