We are used to perceiving photography as the most reliable archivist of our lives, and documentary images as undeniable, objective testimony of history. However, in the era of digital technology and artificial intelligence, the line between capturing reality and its subjective interpretation is becoming increasingly blurred. What does it truly mean to "preserve memory" through the lens, and how does the camera shape our perception of the past?

The end of September became another severe trial for Ukraine due to large-scale Russian air terror. Medical facilities, schools, and universities in Zaporizhzhia, Odesa, Sumy, Kyiv, Kherson, and Kharkiv came under enemy fire. The occupiers cynically shelled an evacuation point in Kramatorsk and a car carrying foreign journalists in Sloviansk. In Poltava region, an oil and gas facility was completely destroyed, while in Kryvyi Rih, Ukraine's largest metallurgical plant ground to a halt. Jet-powered UAVs are flying towards Kyiv and the surrounding region almost continuously, targeting office buildings this week, including data centers and internet service providers. On September 25 alone, seven people were killed in such attacks in the capital, including journalist Maria Yivzhenko and a 14-year-old boy, with over fifty others injured. Russian UAVs also reached western regions, striking an apartment building in Khmelnytskyi.

‍Ukrainian documentary photography has been recording the country's struggle for freedom and self-determination for several decades. It is a synergy of art, reflecting sharp social changes and the events of the Russo-Ukrainian War. Prior to 2022, domestic documentarians mainly represented Ukraine on international platforms through social projects. Today, however, behind every international recognition lies the highest price — daily work at the epicenter of human pain and tragedy.

Over the course of the week, the enemy launched a series of devastating strikes on Odesa, destroying and damaging dozens of residential buildings in the city; during a repeat strike on an administrative building in the city center, rescuers were injured. In Dnipro and Zaporizhzhia, shopping centers burned down as a result of the attacks. Kyiv and the surrounding region suffered from strikes on gas stations and logistics warehouses. At the end of the week, Russian shelling caused further tragedies in the Kyiv region and Sumy. In the Kyiv region, a woman and three children were killed. In Sumy, a Russian aerial bomb hit a nine-story building, killing a married couple; their seven-year-old son is in intensive care.

The Ukrainian Association of Professional Photographers, together with legal experts from the Ukrainian National Office for Intellectual Property and Innovations (UAPI/IP Office), has initiated the development of a suite of standard contract templates for photographers to use in their daily work. This package of documents will include licensing agreements, agreements on the assignment of economic rights, as well as agreements on the payment of royalties and author's remuneration. It is essential to adapt these templates to various fields of photography, as each niche has its own unique needs and operational specifics that must be addressed from a legal perspective. In addition, practical guidelines are planned to assist photographers in navigating any potential copyright disputes or challenges.

To preserve heritage, support authors, and show the world the truth about the war through the lenses of top photographers. Curators Oleh Sosnov and Tetiana Lysun talk about how Oleksandr Hliadielov's iconic photograph from the project "And I Saw" ended up in their home, why they invest in the works of their photographer friends, and how their work helps Ukrainian art resonate louder on the international stage.