Atlas of Beauty: Powerful Photos of Moms and Daughters Around the World
Imagine it’s a Tuesday at work, and you get up, walk into your boss’s office, and say thanks, but you’re quitting your job to travel the world, photograph women, and tell their stories. The road calls, you have a camera, and you’re not telling it no. It’s the dream, right? That’s essentially the pared-down story of Mihaela Noroc, photographer and the author behind The Atlas of Beauty: Women of the World in 500 Portraits. In honor of Mother’s Day, Noroc has put together a series spotlighting the mothers she’s encountered across the globe.
Pregnant herself, Noroc says traveling through Asia over the past few months has only motivated her to keep going. “There are many more stories waiting to be discovered and now, as a mother, I feel an even stronger desire to bring my small contribution in making this world a better place for future generations.” After her daughter arrives, Noroc says she’ll be continuing the project and bringing her daughter with her. “I’m excited that I’ll be able to show her the world and its wonderful women,” she says. “I think we both have many things to learn from them.”
Ahead, she’s captured glimpses into the lives of 17 mothers around the world. The amount of context Noroc can provide around each portrait changes, she says, based on how much time she can spend with the women and their children. The single thoroughfare? “There’s always an intimate chemistry between them,” Noroc says. “And there’s always so much beauty and kindness in these special moments.”