Treat yourself, treat your shelf and treat others the way you want to be treated. This week, Lifestyle and Culture are highlighting one woman who has devoted her life to showcasing the diversity of natural feminine beauty in all kinds of environments and cultures. The Atlas of Beauty should be the new addition to your shelf (or coffee table) not only because of the beautiful portraits, but the book shows that ‘compassion and love can prevail – and beauty, in all its complexities, reigns supreme.’

The Atlas of Beauty – Mihaela Noroc

Mihaela Noroc is a photographer who gave up her life in Romania to travel the world and photograph women in over 50 countries. The Atlas of Beauty is her first book compiled of 500 portraits. For four years now Noroc has been capturing women and what she thinks beauty is about, ‘being yourself, natural and authentic, about letting people see what is inside of you.’ When I first heard about the project a year ago I followed it on social media, and it is here I realised the impact that Noroc was having on people. All of her images feel warm, intimate and her use of colour and light is extraordinary. Although you might not spend hours reading this book, I can safely say you will always return to with fondness, knowing its humble beginnings.

‘Beauty, as I see it, can teach us tolerance, honesty, and kindness, and our world needs these values more than ever.’ – Mihaela Noroc, 2017.

Image: Widelec