Romanian-born photographer Mihaela Noroc has been photographing women around the world for since 2013.
In 2017, she released a book called The Atlas of Beauty with 500 portraits of women from over 50 countries. While traveling and working on her book, Mihaela also documented and photographed motherhood, sharing the tales of unconditional compassion and love between a mother and a child through her heartwarming images. Mihaela received her first camera at 16 years and her first subjects were her mother and sister.
She abandoned photography after her teachers at university discouraged her from pursuing it professionally. But in 2013, she traveled to Ethiopia, and this trip inspired her to return to photography.
Writing on independent-photo.com, she says, “Real beauty has no bounds. One can find it anywhere, in a village or in a skyscraper, in a gesture, in an intense gaze or in some wrinkles: Real beauty is in our differences.”
Scroll down and take a look at what it’s like being a mother all across the world.
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#1 Near Reykjavik, Iceland
Andrea, an adventure guide, and her son Benjamin.
So far, the photographer has captured glimpses into the lives of 26 mothers around the world. Noroc says that the amount of context she can provide around each portrait changes each time.
“I sometimes feel that the photos of mothers with their children tell so much and a longer caption would only spoil the charm. But there’s always intimate chemistry between them. And there’s always so much beauty and kindness in these special moments.” Noroc shared on platforms.
#2 Tokyo, Japan
Shiori and her seven months old daughter, Kanade.
#3 Andes Mountains, Peru
Juliana and her son Alex.
Mihaela herself became a mother in August 2018 and this made her even more motivated to continue her project. She’s now traveling the world with her little daughter. In two years, little Natalia has traveled with her mother to 28 countries on 6 continents, meeting many amazing women.
#4 Refugee Camp, Greece
This mother and her daughters fled the war in Syria.
#5 Kolkata, India
Arpita and her son.
However, just like everybody else, Mihaela too was affected by the outbreak of the worldwide pandemic.
“In January, we were in China when a mysterious virus started to make news in the country. Back home, in Europe, nobody cared about it, but being a few hundred kilometers away from the epicenter, seeing what was happening around us made me realize that our world would change a lot,” Noroc shared on her Instagram. “We’ve been fortunate enough to get back home safely, in Romania, and find a place with a courtyard during the lockdown. Although we can’t move, we can at least see the sky. I look at it and I’m wondering when we will be back there, on a plane, traveling to a new destination to meet new amazing women?”
#6 Bahir Dar, Ethiopia
Ethiopian mother and son.
#7 San Antonio Aguas Calientes, Guatemala
The mother created all these splendid outfits.
As a mother herself, Mihaela hopes to learn from this crisis and create a more beautiful and equal world where her daughter Natalia can live peacefully.
“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 to making this world a better place for future generations.” She wrote on her Instagram.
#8 Italy
The daughter, Caterina, is a ballerina and her biggest supporter is her mother, Barbara.
#9 Kathmandu, Nepal
Upasha and her daugher Prayusha.
#10 Tehran, Iran
Leila and her son Abtin.
#11 Amsterdam, Netherlands
Rachelle told the photographer: “We are resting after a long day at work.”
#12 New York, USA
Jenny and her daughter Lily were having a walk around the neighborhood.
#13 Kathmandu, Nepal
A Hindu mother and her boy.
#14 Bucharest, Romania
Carmen and her daughters, Ranya and Zara.
#15 Portugal
#16 Australia
She’s a wonderful artist from Australia and a beautiful mother.
#17 Tel Aviv, Israel
Mother and her daughters.
#18 Chisinau, Moldova
Ina and her one month baby.
#19 Osh, Kyrgysztan
Mother and son
#20 Kolkata, India
Tabassum moved here from Bangladesh in hope of a better life for her daughter.
#21 Guangzhou, China
She was on the way to the hospital to give birth.
#22 Mumbai, India
#23 France
#24 Rio De Janeiro, Brazil
Mother and her daughters.
#25 Berlin, Germany
Summer day in the park.
#26. Great Britain