In 2016, Jorge Delgado-Ureña and Christelle Enquist co-founded The Raw Society. At first, the organization focused solely on offering on-location photography workshops. Over time, The Raw Society grew into an impassioned community of photographers that spans the globe.

In 2024, the pair put together their first major museum retrospective, showcasing work made over the past eight years. The exhibition includes over 100 images shot in India, Nepal, Turkey, Iraq, Spain, Morocco, Cuba, and the USA. To complete the process of transforming their experiences into something tangible and enduring, they decided to publish an extended catalog of the exhibition, titled East to West, through Blurb.

Why do you do what you do?

Christelle: Photography, storytelling, and print are all ways of making sense of the world and forging deeper connections—with people, places, and moments in time. There’s something profoundly human about the act of observing, experiencing, and then sharing those experiences with others. 

Photography, in particular, has a unique ability to slow time, to distill something fleeting into something lasting. Through The Raw Society, we aim to foster that deeper connection by not only making photographs but also helping others discover their own voice in visual storytelling.

How did East to West begin, and why did you choose to print it when you could have let the work live online?

Christelle: There’s something irreplaceable about holding a book in your hands—the tactile experience of turning a page and lingering over an image or a passage of text. A printed book invites a different kind of engagement, one that’s more personal and immersive than scrolling through a screen. East to West was born out of years of travel, conversations, and personal exploration, and it felt right to give it a tangible form. It’s a reflection of a journey, and like any journey, it’s meant to be experienced in its own time, not just swiped past.

Jorge: The idea for the project started as an exhibition, initially as a retrospective of both Christelle and [my work] since we founded The Society about eight years ago. The photos are part of other assignments or personal projects, but with the intention of sharing a bit of the behind-the-scenes and our personal experiences. Somehow, the show became bigger and bigger, ending with a collection of 108 pictures in a very nice museum here in Spain. Even then, we felt there was more to be said, so we decided to print the entire collection, along with additional content, almost like a[n extended catalog] of the show.

To answer your question more directly: I believe that printing means the work will live; that it won’t immediately get lost in the stream. People can flip through the pages or linger, sharing the experiences we lived in a physical way.

In East to West, you wrote: “Behind every photo, there is a whole ecosystem of emotions, experiences, and stories that happen in front of and behind the camera. Photography is a love story with life.” We couldn’t agree more, and especially loved reading your field notes. Is there a particular person, moment, or memory that comes rushing back to mind when you reflect on what you wrote?

Christelle: Oh my, there have been so many! Some of the most incredible experiences have happened to us in Nepal, where the story of The Raw Society began, or Iraqi Kurdistan where I’ve have had the pleasure of meeting some of the kindest people on the planet as well as the Mississippi Delta, which, if people want to know why, can discover in the latest issue of The Raw Society Magazine.

Jorge: Absolutely, there are many, but one that comes to mind was in northern Iraq. I was in Lalish, taking pictures of the Yazidi temple when a man approached me and asked if I was a photographer. I said yes, and we talked for a few moments. Before leaving, he told me with a very kind smile, “Take lots of pictures, and when you go home, talk about us.” Isn’t that the reason we do photography?

How has photography, print, and writing shaped the way you see and navigate life?

Christelle: Photography has taught me to slow down and truly observe. Writing has helped me reflect on what I see and experience, making sense of moments that might otherwise pass too quickly. And print has reminded me of the importance of permanence—of creating something that exists beyond the fleeting digital world. Together, they’ve shaped the way I travel, interact with people, and understand the world. Everything feels more connected when you approach life as a storyteller.

Jorge: Photography is the only medium of expression where you must be physically present to create it. You have to walk, talk to people, deal with the weather, be very patient, and walk even more. As a result, it becomes deeply personal; other people’s stories become part of your own as the author, which is both profound and beautiful.

Photography also leaves room for interpretation, which is great. But if you want to be a bit more precise with your story, you need a framework that includes sequences, text, and other elements. For me, there is no better framework than a printed book. You can revisit it, experience different impacts, share it, and it stays.

Do you have any advice for people stepping into the world of photography, print, and storytelling?

Christelle: Stay curious and be patient. Great work doesn’t come from rushing; it comes from taking the time to truly see, listen, and feel. Push yourself beyond the obvious. The best stories often unfold in the small, quiet moments.

And when it comes to printing, do it because it matters to you, because you want to hold your work in your hands and share it in a meaningful way—not just because it seems like the next step.

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To learn more about The Raw Society, you can visit their website or Instagram, where they share their latest projects like The Raw Society Magazine (now in its third issue!), workshops, behind-the-scenes glimpses, and community stories.

Have you been thinking about starting a magazine? Publishing an exhibition catalog? Or even just putting together a bound collection of some of your recent work? Blurb can help you make it happen! Get started today.