The Beauty of empowerment: Women of the world

DW (English)

Since 2013, Mihaela Noroc has photographed women in nearly 100 countries. Her images reveal diversity and strength beyond normative beauty ideals.

Transcript

00:01This photographer sets herself aside from the gloss of magazines,

00:05choosing instead to find naturally striking, expressive women.

00:09For her, inspiration is found in the everyday.

00:13My name is Mihaela Norok.

00:15I traveled in almost 100 countries and I photographed thousands of women

00:19and I had this amazing chance to discover all the stories around the world.

00:24The native Romanian has been photographing women across the world since 2013,

00:29as part of her project, The Atlas of Beauty.

00:33Her Instagram boasts over 440,000 followers.

00:38Her latest book, released in 2025, is dedicated to the power of women.

00:46Her portraits feature mainly classically beautiful women,

00:50but also those who defy traditional beauty standards.

00:54Some survivors of violence, like this woman from Iran,

00:58who survived an acid attack.

01:00I put myself in their situation and for sure I know that I would not have the power to smile again,

01:09if I would have been through what they were, you know, what they experienced.

01:14I don't think I would have had the power to still be okay.

01:18So they have a certain special power that I want to learn from.

01:23I want to understand how did they do it, what is their secret, you know.

01:30Mihaela comes across her models by chance.

01:33Here in the Romanian city of Sibiu, she scans for potential candidates.

01:38But not everyone accepts.

01:40There are different reasons women say no.

01:43My father, my brother, my husband will not allow me.

01:47That's the saddest reason for me.

01:49That's the saddest, saddest reason.

01:52But then, luck strikes.

01:54A market vendor agrees to a photo.

01:57Mihaela makes sure to explain the goal of her project first.

02:00Both are happy with how the shots turned out.

02:12I always try to find women that have like a positive, you know, like a positive effect on me.

02:21Or on the people that follow my work.

02:24For me to learn from that woman something.

02:26For me to be inspired by her in some sorts of ways, you know.

02:31After a few hours, Mihaela calls it a day.

02:34She reviews her shots, keeping post-processing to a minimum.

02:38Authenticity is key.

02:41I hope that my pictures are natural and that they give you the impression of real life.

02:46So I don't try to recreate a fantasy world.

02:50I try to show a natural world.

02:53Her photos are highly acclaimed.

02:56Strong book sales have kept Mihaela motivated.

02:59And she's not short on ideas for future volumes.

03:08My plans for the future are very simple.

03:10I want to continue this project all my life.

03:12I'm going to do this work all my life.

03:15So as many years I live, I'm going to keep photographing women and tell their story.

03:20Because you see we are surrounded by so many incredible women and nobody notices them.

03:24I'm the one to do it.

03:26In the next years I want to do a book with women of Romania.

03:29After that maybe I'll do a book with mothers of the world.

03:32I don't know.

03:33Just keep on exploring and exploring.

03:36For Mihaela Norok, beauty knows no borders.

03:41Her lens proves that it isn't really about norms at all.

03:45Beauty comes from within.

03:47From confidence, resilience and authenticity.

03:50Phon dangling.

03:51I don't know.

03:52I am lucky I am proud.

03:53There is no spaces on planning.

03:54But I he wasn't tied with them.

03:55Soparock Central learned about the wilderness of the right.

03:56She was nakedbe손

04:06Correct.

04:09I am look to the story and look to shape.

04:10First seem to lay down.

04:11Princess truce Ministries

04:13protected.

04:14We can make a focus to improve the difference behind the knowledge of women.

04:15In the next one that plays a small engagador.

04:17Good morning.

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