LatiNatural 2002 - 2022
20 years ago, I began a photographic journey hoping to document and explore the multi-layered identity of the Latina woman. It was initially inspired by Emmy award winner, Sandra Guzman's dynamic book called "The Latina's Bible" and what began as a small exhibit for her book launch developed into a project that was unique and, frankly, ahead of its time, in that it embraced conversations that weren't being had using the medium of photography. The result was multi-faceted - from countless exhibits and press clippings to lifelong friendships. Most of all, the project taught me more about my own identity as a woman, and as a photographer, and this experience shaped who I am today.
LatiNatural is a collection of portraits, shot between 2002 and 2006, exploring the diversity and experience of female-identifying Latinas in New York City. The project captured images of over 150 women who had been nominated to visually exemplify the diverse beauty, strength, resilience, and heroism within the Latinx population. The project’s goal was was to help facilitate dialogue around race, identity, body image, sexuality, class, and sexual orientation within the Latino community and particularly how it related to women. LatiNatural explored themes of body image and diversity while immortalizing women of various skin tones, body types, hair textures, ages, and professional backgrounds, who often are not the subject of fine art portraits en masse. The portraits featured subjects as young as 10 days old and as seasoned as 92. All of the photos were captured using the same background, with the subjects wearing just a white sheet, no make-up, and no jewelry in order to prevent distraction from whom the subjects truly are. These women shared their testimonies, ranging from trauma to triumph and everything in between.