Olga Fried's Intangible Encounters Explore Spirituality Through Photography

Artist's large-format paper negative images evoke an otherworldly terrain illuminated by vast, star-filled skies

Published on Feb. 21, 2026

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Olga Fried, a graduate of the ICP Documentary Program, discusses her ongoing project "Intangible Encounters" which explores themes of spirituality and the natural world through her large-format paper negative photography. Fried, who lives in Dubai, finds inspiration in the "biblical" nature of the Arabian desert and mountains, which she photographs in a ritual-like process. The work is featured as part of a series curated by Bryan Whitney, Fried's former instructor at ICP, highlighting the spiritual dimensions of several of his past students' photographic practices.

Why it matters

Fried's work reflects a growing interest among photographers in exploring themes of spirituality, inner life, and our connection to the natural world. Her use of large-format paper negatives lends a unique, ethereal quality to the images, inviting viewers to contemplate the intangible and unseen forces that shape our experiences.

The details

Fried's "Intangible Encounters" series is an ongoing exploration of nature and love as spiritual manifestations, as well as how we relate to spirituality through symbols. She photographs in the early morning hours using a large-format camera, a process she describes as a ritual that grounds her both physically and mentally. Fried's images evoke a sense of the sacred, with barren landscapes illuminated by vast, star-filled skies.

  • Fried graduated from the ICP Documentary Program in 2020.
  • She is currently based in the UAE.

The players

Olga Fried

A photographer born in Russia who has lived in Volgograd, Moscow, London and Dubai. She worked as a corporate lawyer before starting her photography practice as a self-taught artist.

Bryan Whitney

An artist and educator who teaches photography at the International Center of Photography in New York City. He curated the series featuring Fried's work and her former instructor at ICP.

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What they’re saying

“It has not been my original intention to focus on spirituality in my photographic practice. I live in Dubai, and because it is urban and commercial, I often venture into the 'wilderness' of the desert and the mountains to mentally recharge. The nature here in Arabia is 'biblical' by default – it is ragged, mysterious, intense and meaningful.”

— Olga Fried, Photographer (Lenscratch)

“The process of photographing became a ritual for me. Especially since I started large format, it forced me to slow down and focus both my body and my thoughts.”

— Olga Fried, Photographer (Lenscratch)

What’s next

Fried is currently researching religious influences and borrowings in Soviet visuals, in the context of Joseph Stalin's cult, though the exact shape of the project is still in development.

The takeaway

Fried's "Intangible Encounters" series reflects a growing artistic interest in exploring themes of spirituality, inner life, and our connection to the natural world through the medium of photography. Her use of large-format paper negatives lends a unique, ethereal quality to the images, inviting contemplation of the unseen forces that shape our experiences.