Maramures Gestures

Maramures Gestures

Romania | Sunday, October 17, 2010 | 5 photos

I’m an American living in Bucharest, Romania for nearly two years with my husband, a Bucharest native, and two children.

I spent five days in the Maramures region of northern Romania this past summer, photographing traditional rural life in its remote villages. It was my first trip to the region and I was deeply inspired by the gorgeous landscape, the warmth of the villagers, their centuries-old farming traditions and rituals surrounding their predominantly Romanian Orthodox faith. I plan to continue photographing in Maramures as it’s one of the few remaining places in the world where I can capture this way of life before progressive change occurs. Recently, younger generations have left the villages to work abroad and send their families money to build modern homes, carry cell phones, and dress in contemporary clothing.

Photography has been my passion since high school and I want to become a professional field photographer. I grew up in rural South Dakota and National Geographic magazine was my window to the wider world. I realize the power of photography from my life experience and am inspired to further my knowledge of the craft in order to become a better storyteller. I’ve never been fortunate to work with a mentor and can only imagine the impact assisting Jason Edwards could have on my personal and professional life. I’m excited about the possibility of gaining greater expertise to further document my travels. It would be an honor to assist Jason and to see and shoot Bhutan! There is a lot I’d like to learn including developing my vision, becoming a better editor and gaining greater proficiency with digital photography in general. I started shooting raw images during my trip to Maramures and am learning how to work with them. Thank you!