Issue 09 of Light & Paper marks the beginning of our new bi-monthly rhythm, featuring Gabriel Roux as Artist of the Month. With contributions from Rodrigo Rangel de Alba and Jorge Sotomayor, this edition expands the conversation around photography, experience, and global perspective.

In August, Lux Photo Lab had the honor of sponsoring our ambassador Rodrigo Rangel de Alba’s very first exhibition and talk at The Ivy Hotel in Chicago. Rodrigo, who in May completed his extraordinary journey of visiting all 197 countries in the world, presented not only a milestone in travel but a deeply human body of work now gathered under his new brand, RRA 197.

Rodrigo Rangel de Alba has spent 35 years crossing borders and capturing stillness in motion. A French-Mexican photojournalist who’s visited every country on Earth, his lens reveals quiet gestures and fleeting expressions. Light & Paper proudly honors Rodrigo as our inaugural Artist of the Month, celebrating a body of work that connects not continents, but people.

Rodrigo Rangel de Alba has seen every country on Earth—not as a tourist, but as a witness. His portraits, captured over decades, reflect identity as lived experience: quiet gestures, fleeting expressions, and moments of trust. As Lux Photo Lab’s ambassador, Rodrigo prints on Hahnemühle Fine Art papers, preserving presence with dignity. His work reminds us that identity isn’t bound by borders—it’s written in light.