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33-year-old Romanian photographer Mihaela Noroc has spent the last six years traveling extensively, capturing moments of women in various countries around the world and compiling them into a photo book titled "The Atlas of Beauty." Over time, the project has grown.The Atlas of BeautyIt gradually became popular and received much attention and love from the community.
"There are millions of women around the world working hard towards their goals, even when those endeavors are hidden beneath seemingly unremarkable surfaces. I hope to have the opportunity to photograph these women for my project, capturing their inner and outer beauty, so they can see just how special they are."
Portrait of female photographer Mihaela Noroc
Eyes
InThe Atlas of BeautyThe women are depicted authentically and naturally, without any elaborate makeup or editing effects. Their beauty radiates not only from their outward appearance but also from deep within. They come from different countries with diverse cultures, social classes, and circumstances. Despite this, Mihaela Noroc couldn't prevent her from discovering a single commonality among them: the warm, serene gaze that has become the "soul" of each portrait in her photo series.
“Through these photographs, I wanted to capture the warmth and peace emanating from a woman’s eyes, which can sometimes balance out the negativity we see in the media. Many people face discrimination simply because they have a certain skin color, religion, ethnicity, or simply because they are women. I believe beauty lies in diversity, and it teaches us to be more tolerant.”
Farnoush, a young girl from Tehran (the capital of Iran), has been studying violin since childhood. This is a picture of her, both nervous and excited, as she prepares for her first performance.
Mahsa, a young woman on a street in Tehran, Iran, started learning photography as a hobby, but she hopes it will become her profession in the future.
Mihaela Noroc discovered a very different Iran during her trip to the country. Few people know that the people here live and work just like everyone else in the world. “You may have heard a lot of information about Iran, mostly about politics. But when you want to learn about a country, the first thing to do is to learn about its people.”
Shiori and her seven-month-old daughter, Kanade, begin their day in Ebisu, Tokyo, Japan.
Tokyo is known for its incredibly stressful daily work schedule, making it difficult to even find a moment of respite during the busy lives of its residents. It's hard to imagine them having a fun Sunday with their loved ones and family, enjoying a weekend outing together.
A mother cradles her child in a peaceful setting in Bahir Dar, Ethiopia.
In the face of this scene, Mihaela Noroc did not hesitate to express her feelings for a mother in Ethiopia: “I miss Africa and its people. Ethnic conflicts are erupting in Ethiopia right now. The whole world is also going through a terrible pandemic. Where do you find hope in these difficult times? I find it in the resilience of so many people around the world, like this mother. Most of them always have to go through hard lives, yet they keep going, keep living and smiling. I will try to learn from them.”
This woman in Antigua, Guatemala, has been running her grocery store for 62 years.
This woman starts work early in the morning at one of Mumbai's largest fish markets in India. She earns only a very small income to support her children.
A talented young musician in Havana, Cuba. She started learning to play the flute at the age of 8 and made it her passion to financially support her family.
A flamenco dancer in Barcelona. This dance was previously reserved only for the best male dancers, but she mastered it from her grandmother.
The color of culture
During her travels, Mihaela Noroc visited many countries and captured beautiful moments of local women and their traditional cultures.
"One of my missions withThe Atlas of BeautyThis demonstrates that tradition and development can coexist. People should cherish their own culture while also learning about other cultures around the world. Because preserving past values will mean a better future.”
Gabriela comes from Maramures, a region in northern Romania known for its diverse traditional culture.
The traditional clothing of the people of Sardinia, an autonomous region of Italy, is often worn on important holidays.
On most weekends, Korean women visit the beautiful gardens of Gyeongbok Palace wearing traditional clothing—Hanbok.
A traditional festival in Valencia (Spain) in the autumn, where hundreds of women known as Falleras dress up in magnificent gowns.
Preserving traditional culture means preserving the beauty of our national identity. Women appearing in traditional attire – instead of their everyday modern clothing – on important occasions have made their image more diverse. Regardless of the outfit they wear, they still possess a unique, refined, and captivating beauty.
Three women, a grandmother and her two grandchildren, at a traditional festival in Chisinau, Moldova.
Chakan embroidery is a popular form of embroidery in Tajikistan and is listed as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of UNESCO.
Sona in the Holi festival of colors - a major festival for followers of Hinduism.
Julie wore an exquisite folk costume on Norway's National Day.
Mahal Wak is an Afghan actress and activist. She enjoys wearing traditional clothing. In a war-torn country, there are still courageous people like Mahal who have chosen to stay and believe in a better future.
Ta Mai is a member of the Red Dao ethnic group, living in the Northwest region of Vietnam. Women here only wear a red headscarf after marriage. They also wear beautiful handcrafted clothing that takes months to weave.
Simple things
There are people who dedicate their lives to searching for beauty, sacrificing everything for art, only to finally realize that what they have been searching for all along is incredibly close, hidden beneath simple facades that few can recognize. In her journey, Mihaela Noroc discovered this in the images of each woman she captured through her lens. Whether old or young, whatever their occupation, whatever their location, these women are beautiful in their own way, strong and confident, moving forward.
A doctor in the emergency medicine field, currently working in the intensive care unit for the Covid-19 pandemic in Romania. The suffering and loss she has witnessed seem to have become her strength, enabling her to overcome challenges and excel in her work.
A Colombian police captain. Having experienced loss in the past, she decided to become a police officer to fight for peace and justice.
Danielle is of German and Mexican descent and currently lives in Berlin. She works in an office, but her greatest passion has always been football.
Ania was born in Poland and was born without a right leg. She was adopted by a Belgian family. She loves sports and dreams of becoming an athlete.
Many of the people Mihaela Noroc spoke with faced difficult circumstances. But that wasn't a reason for them to surrender to fate; they always strived to overcome challenges and live beautiful lives. This positive energy touched Mihaela Noroc's heart, becoming the driving force that motivated her to continue her "mission."
Reka is a leukemia survivor. The photo was taken in Budapest, Hungary.
Payao - a woman who sells food at a floating market in Bangkok, Thailand.
A street vendor in Cuenca, Ecuador.
A woman in Chichicastenango, Guatemala.
love and beauty
During her journey, Mihaela Noroc faced numerous challenges – harsh weather, mosquitoes carrying deadly diseases, witnessing stories she had never imagined… However, this not only didn't deter her, but further strengthened her belief in her choice to travel the world with her camera.The Atlas of Beauty.
Mihaela shared that she is drawn to children, which is why she wanted her photo series to include more pictures of mothers and children.
A preschool teacher with her firstborn daughter in Chisinau, Moldova.
Arpita and her son in Kolkata, India.
A woman and her son on the streets of Kathmandu, Nepal.
The girl, who suffers from a rare congenital disease that causes endocrine and vision impairment, is pictured with her mother. The photo was taken in London, England.
A heartwarming moment between mother and daughter in Kathmandu, Nepal.
Love is an endless flow that humanity always strives for. Mihaela Noroc also captured the natural, sincere feelings these women had for each other, through their warm smiles when she encountered them on the streets.
Two close friends, Sasaki and Tachibana, are taking a stroll down a street in Kyoto, Japan.
Marina and Elena have been best friends since their university days. The photo was taken on a street in Valencia, Spain.
They were both colleagues and friends. They were both proud of their nationalities, and the fact that one was Palestinian and the other Jewish did not affect their friendship.
These women have been close friends since high school. The photo was taken on the streets of Oslo, Norway.
ProjectThe Atlas of BeautyShe is still continuing her journey with new discoveries. Photographer Mihaela Noroc says she is striving every day, hoping the project will become a source of inspiration for women to live more confidently as themselves, naturally and authentically.
Ms. Di is a Hmong woman living in the Northwest region of Vietnam.
"She told me she had a beautiful life with her loving husband and five children," Mihaelo Noroc recounted about the Hmong woman. "Her husband passed away 15 years ago, and since then, she has always worn the earring he made for her. Beauty shines everywhere, and so does love."
