The best part of what we do at Human Centric Media is create space for people to be their confident, authentic selves. Our SE Portland portrait studio might have provided the venue, and I might have operated the camera, but D'Vorah Maya brought all the necessary energy herself.
We work hard to understand a subject's goals, vibes and demeanor long before they come into the studio. Behind the megapixels and softbox lights, backdrops and editing techniques, is a rapport. That is always what truly shines through in the finished images.
Chatting with D'Vorah, I was struck with the same charming quality that I frequently encounter with trans people — deep, meaningful knowledge of self. There is so much wisdom wrapped up in gender fluidity, and in pursuing one's identity, that trans people's hearts grow extra strong.
Good portraits are about more than just comfort, it's about creating space for genuine expression. Not putting words in people's mouths. Letting their personal style shine through. Letting their body language guide the experience.
Here's what D'Vorah had to say about her time in the studio:
"I can't begin to describe how grateful I am about my portraits. They've been a turning point in my transition, mainly because I recognize myself when I look at them, and such recognition has been elusive for me throughout my life. I think some of the best art teaches us something about ourselves, illuminating parts of us that have been there the whole time but are now that much brighter and more visible than ever. Your pictures captured parts of me that helped me appreciate my own beauty, and as a trans person dealing with dysphoria everyday, who not long ago could barely recognize herself in the mirror and dreaded being photographed, that's one of the greatest gifts I could have received."
Getting to build community in SE Portland, meet people like D'Vorah and document a pivotal moment in their lives — it's not an responsibility I take lightly, ever.
