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Face to Face: Portraits of the Human Spirit  
(184 images)

  • The teenage years hits the eldest of three sisters Mazatlan, Mexico, 2009. See previous photo of her younger twin sisters.
    The teenage years hits the eldest of three sisters Mazatlan, Mexico,...
  • Pink slippers, Ubud, Bali, Indonesia.<br /> In the village of Tebong Krang this little girl is traditionally dressed for the Balinese New Year. This national holiday of Nyepi includes an imposed day of silence to reflect and meditate with no daily distractions of travel, TV, talking, working or eating. The next day is one giant party.
    Pink slippers, Ubud, Bali, Indonesia. In the village of Tebong Krang...
  • Tibetan Muslim boy, Manigango, Kham, Tibet 2005. Although Tibetans are predominately Buddhist a small percentage have intermarried with Islamic traders who have worked their way across Tibet in past years. The Muslim Tibetans respect the Dalai Lama as their political leader but not their spiritual leader. Fearing religious persecution when the Chinese invaded their country, many were forced to flee with other Tibetans; most have resettled in Muslim-based Kashmir.
    Tibetan Muslim boy, Manigango, Kham, Tibet 2005. Although Tibetans are...
  • Hato from the Hamer tribe at Dimket market, <br /> Omo Valley, Ethiopia 2006.
    Hato from the Hamer tribe at Dimket market, Omo Valley, Ethiopia 2006.
  • Maza, a Benna Tribe bull jumper <br /> KeyAFer Village, Omo Valley, Ethiopia 2006.<br /> The Hamer and Benna are two tribes from the remote southwest region of Ethiopia with the unique tradition of the 'jumping of bulls.’ The purpose of this rite is two fold; the passage from boyhood to adulthood, and for men and women to partake in a courting ritual to attract a mate. The men, full of swagger, adorn themselves with burnt ochre on their skin and ostrich feathers tucked into their head, while the women wear their hair in short tufts rolled in mixed ochre and fat.
    Maza, a Benna Tribe bull jumper KeyAFer Village, Omo Valley, Ethiopia...
  • Nomad woman milking in front of yak hair tent, Kangang Valley, Kham, Tibet 2006.<br /> This may be the last generation of the pastoral Tibetan nomads as we know them. Like the American Indians before them the modern day Tibetan nomads are being forced to give up their traditional lifestyle without time to adjust to this abrupt change. They must abandon the only life they know, leaving their portable yak hair tents and move into concrete rooms in the cities where they have no job skills for survival.<br /> The wealth of the nomads is measured through their livestock, yet the Chinese are discouraging the Tibetan’s centuries-old livelihood of herding yak and sheep, building ubiquitous fences along the hillsides so that the animals can no longer roam free. The government claims that these animals are destroying the grasses, when in fact for generations it’s these grazing animals that have protected the land-land that no longer belongs to the Tibetan people. And without the nomads the Tibetan culture shall continue to vanish.
    Nomad woman milking in front of yak hair tent, Kangang Valley, Kham,...
  • Foodbank, Appalachia, Ohio, USA 2004.<br /> Literally hundreds of cars a day drive through this food distribution center. Without these foodbanks families wouldn’t have the means to feed their children. In 2004 I worked with the Children’s Defense Fund to photograph children in poverty in America. Marian Wright Edelman had written the foreword to my book, “Faces of Hope,” that documents the lives and struggles of children in developing countries. Ms. Edelman felt that together we should take a look at the situation on our own home turf in the United States. I had photographed poverty all around the world but during this project I couldn’t believe the dire situation that I was seeing in my own country.
    Foodbank, Appalachia, Ohio, USA 2004. Literally hundreds of cars a day...
  • Burma/Myanmar. Meditating monk in Sagain. In this predominately Buddhist country, every Burmese male is expected to take temporary monastic vows twice in his life: once as a samanera or novice monk between ages five and fifteen and again as a pongyi sometime after twenty. Some spend between a few days and three months; others are ordained for life.
    Burma/Myanmar. Meditating monk in Sagain. In this predominately Buddhist...
  • The Thar Desert, Rajasthan, India 2011. Rapu Devi at the Pushkar camel fair, <br /> This annual tribal gathering fort the Pushkar caRapu Devi at the Pushkar camel fair <br /> The Thar Desert, Rajasthan, India 2011 <br /> This annual tribal gathering fort the Pushkar camel fair in the Thar desert of Rajasthan attracts cattle traders, merchants, dancers, artisans, and musicians. Pilgrims flock to the Brahma Temple during this November full moon, considered to be the most auspicious time to bathe in the holy waters and be released of their sins. From her tent this woman seeks reprieve from the unrelenting heat of the desert.<br /> el fair in the Thar desert of Rajasthan attracts cattle traders, merchants, dancers, artisans, and musicians. Pilgrims flock to the Brahma Temple during this November full moon, considered to be the most auspicious time to bathe in the holy waters and be released of their sins. From her tent this woman seeks reprieve from the unrelenting heat of the desert.
    The Thar Desert, Rajasthan, India 2011. Rapu Devi at the Pushkar camel...
  • Behind the burka <br /> Kabul, Afghanistan 2007. Friday, a Muslim holiday, is a day off for everyone. Shops close, it is a day of rest. I soon discovered where the women go: Bagh-E-Zanana, commonly called the Women’s Park. No men allowed. A small unkempt publicly owned area of land, it is a sacred space for women. Off come the shawls and burkas. The women are adorned in brightly colored dresses, long painted fingernails and heavy jewelry. They bring small picnics and snacks, beat tamborines, dance and gossip. They trade makeup, sunglasses and beauty tips. The young girls express themselves in clothes they would never dare to wear in public; hip hugging jeans, tight blouses, and they literally let their hair down. It is here, that on one day of the week, on one dry little patch of land in the corner of Kabul, the women of Afghanistan are free to throw off their burkas and be themselves.
    Behind the burka Kabul, Afghanistan 2007. Friday, a Muslim holiday,...
  • Clowning monk at Hemis Monastery, Ladakh, northern India 2006.
    Clowning monk at Hemis Monastery, Ladakh, northern India 2006.
  • Rainwear, near Sershul, Kham, Tibet 2005.
    Rainwear, near Sershul, Kham, Tibet 2005.
  • Just married, Islington, London, England 2010.<br /> I was living in London while shooting a couple of books for National Geographic on London & Great Britain, when I happened upon this couple that had just gotten married at City Hall. I loved their bowler hat and glasses wedding theme. When I jumped in to take their photo the bride invited me to join in their celebration with a glass of champagne. I did of course.
    Just married, Islington, London, England 2010. I was living in London...
  • Tattoos at the Imperial Palace <br /> Shenyang, China 2011.<br /> I’ve been to China many times over the years but during this extended visit I was trying to cover the whole diverse country in a matter of months while photographing a book for National Geographic. I liked the juxtaposition of these two men, both photographed in the Imperial Palace. One was modeling an ancient emperor outfit. I noticed this other man with tattoos snaking down his arm and he didn’t hesitate to take his shirt of for me (a perk of the job). He mentioned that he used to be a gangster but now worked in a club. These two photos portray two very different, yet congruent, faces of China.
    Tattoos at the Imperial Palace Shenyang, China 2011. I’ve been to...
  • Man wearing an ancient emperor costume at the Imperial Palace in Shenyang, China, 2011.
    Man wearing an ancient emperor costume at the Imperial Palace in...
  • Woman holding photo of murdered husband <br /> Bamiyan, Afghanistan 2007.<br /> Because of the death of her husband, this woman now lives with her sister, shown in the mirror, and is beholden to her sister’s husband. As I moved around the cities and countryside women threw their burkas over my head. Ensconced in our secret tents they would kiss me three times on my cheeks and thank me for me for coming. I was often invited back in their homes where we would share a cup of cardamom tea.
    Woman holding photo of murdered husband Bamiyan, Afghanistan 2007....
  • Girls risk their safety and even their lives to attend school, Bamiyan province, Afghanistan 2007.<br /> Girls were banned from attending schools under the Taliban government, which ruled Afghanistan from 1996 to 2001. Since the fall of the Taliban in 2001, the Afghan government has tried to extend access to education, with some success. Fewer than 1 million Afghan children — mostly all boys — attended school under Taliban rule. Roughly 6 million Afghan children, including 2 million girls, attend school today. In an attempt to thwart their attendance the Taliban have been responsible for dozens of attacks of throwing acid on girls and female teachers simply walking to school. Despite this danger, the girls persevere.
    Girls risk their safety and even their lives to attend school, Bamiyan...
  • A girl for a pig, Dang, Western Nepal 2006.<br /> In some areas of Nepal and India, girls are referred to as paraya dhan, which translates as “someone else’s wealth.” <br /> In the Terai area of Nepal girls can be considered an economic burden and are often sold into bonded labor to ease the financial hardship of their family. Many of these young girls have been saved from being sold as indentured servants through NYF, the Nepal Youth Foundation. Families are given a piglet or a goat to sell at the end of the year instead of their girl children. Which is a rather sad statement about the worth of a girl child in Nepal.
    A girl for a pig, Dang, Western Nepal 2006. In some areas of Nepal and...
  • Aruga from the Mursi tribe wearing a lip plate <br /> Omo Valley, Ethiopia 2006.<br /> This was one of the more unusual looking tribes I encountered in Ethiopia. Upon reaching puberty a young woman's lip is pierced by her mother or one of her kinswomen. The front teeth are removed and increasingly larger discs, usually made from clay or wood, are inserted into the upper or lower lip to stretch them. I was told that this is a form of proud tribal identity, that the women who wear the lip plates wear them as form of bride wealth and aesthetic expression.
    Aruga from the Mursi tribe wearing a lip plate Omo Valley, Ethiopia...
  • Woman adorned in waterfall of amber near Zhengqi, Kham, Tibet. 2005. I spotted this woman walking down the street carrying a bag of cement on her head. For the life of her she could not figure out why I found her interesting enough to stop her for a photograph.
    Woman adorned in waterfall of amber near Zhengqi, Kham, Tibet. 2005. I...
  • Lissengung Island, New Ireland, Papua New Guinea. A Malagan ceremonial mask. This mask was carved by Fabian Pano, a master carver of Malagan ceremonial masks. Fabian learned the craft from his father who learned from the generations before him. These masks used to be burned after a ceremony but there are so few carvers left, the masks are now preserved and collected.
    Lissengung Island, New Ireland, Papua New Guinea. A Malagan ceremonial...
  • Bekebo, from Mursi tribe <br /> Omo Valley, Ethiopia 2006.<br /> Bekebo is still too young to have her lip pierced, an symbol of beauty in this tribe, but she has managed to find a look that expresses her individuality.
    Bekebo, from Mursi tribe Omo Valley, Ethiopia 2006. Bekebo is still...
  • The Sepik River, Papua New Guinea, 2010. Boy among the fishing nets.
    The Sepik River, Papua New Guinea, 2010. Boy among the fishing nets.
  • Monk with drums at Punakha Dzong <br /> Punakha Valley, Bhutan 2007.<br /> Until recently it was not only tradition but a law that everyone in the Thunder Dragon Kingdom wore the traditional gho robe and argyle socks that this young Buddhist monk is wearing. This monk has just finished a ceremony in the magnificently renovated Punakha monastery, or Dzong.
    Monk with drums at Punakha Dzong Punakha Valley, Bhutan 2007. Until...
  • Boy drinking a coconut <br /> Wetar Island, Indonesia 2005.<br /> On an assignment for Islands magazine I sailed from Indonesia to Papua New Guinea in a modest sized sailboat, stopping at a few of the 17,508 small islands that stretch along the way. Each one was unique as we witnessed the gradual change from Asian looks and customs to darker skin the further east we sailed. After a swim this boy climbed a tree to gather two coconuts and together we shared a long drink.
    Boy drinking a coconut Wetar Island, Indonesia 2005. On an assignment...
  • Li River, Yangshuo, China. Fisherman in the early dawn arrive with their cormorants to help them fish.
    Li River, Yangshuo, China. Fisherman in the early dawn arrive with their...
  • Father with son tucked into his chuba, Tongren, Amdo, Tibet 2005.
    Father with son tucked into his chuba, Tongren, Amdo, Tibet 2005.
  • Boy playing stick ball <br /> Trinidad, Cuba, 2009.<br /> In Trinidad, a city devoid of technical distractions, life spills into the streets. At the end of the day men tie up their horses and convene to play a rowdy game of dominos. Teenagers practice their steps for their upcoming Quinceañera dance while women gossip and show off their babies. On every street corner children entertain themselves for hours playing baseball with a stick and an old bottle cap. The vibrancy of street life here made the thought of returning to my New York City high-rise apartment seems lonely.
    Boy playing stick ball Trinidad, Cuba, 2009. In Trinidad, a city...
  • Nomad woman with rings in her hair <br /> Tagong, Kham, Tibet 2006.
    Nomad woman with rings in her hair Tagong, Kham, Tibet 2006.
  • I’ve been photographing Marian and Vivian Brown in San Francisco, California since I was a teenager, 1994.<br /> These iconic twin sisters, shown here in their snappy Valentine’s Day outfits, are always identically dressed.
    I’ve been photographing Marian and Vivian Brown in San Francisco,...
  • Bettles, Arctic Circle, Alaska. Jean Stevens, a native Eskimo woman. I was photographing a story on the coldest places on the planet, Bettles being one of them. It was so cold my eyelashes froze. The northern light show was breathtaking but living here is not for the faint of heart. Jean, at 77-years-old, still runs the local post office and tears around on her snow mobile delivering mail.
    Bettles, Arctic Circle, Alaska. Jean Stevens, a native Eskimo woman. I...
  • Bjorn, dogsled driver <br /> Longyearbyen, Svalbard, Arctic Norway 2009.<br /> When Bjorn took me out dogsledding there was such an unusual lack of snowfall that we had wheels on our dogsled. He pointed out that Longyearbyen, with less than 2000 people, houses the Svalbard Global Seed Vault, an underground facility that stores millions of crop seeds. This area was chosen for its remoteness and the facility is designed to protect the seeds against natural and human disasters, flood, fire and holocaust. Knowing our last possible food source was stored there really gave me the feeling of having reached the ends of the earth.
    Bjorn, dogsled driver Longyearbyen, Svalbard, Arctic Norway 2009....
  • Jouana and his grandfather Esa, Sami reindeer herders, Lapland, Arctic Circle, Finland 2008.<br /> Sami are the indigenous people of the Scandinavian Arctic including the northernmost areas of Finland. Jouana is following in his father’s and grandfather’s footsteps as he ran out into the snow to feed the reindeer on their farm.
    Jouana and his grandfather Esa, Sami reindeer herders, Lapland, Arctic...
  • Ndogodo, a Maasai girl with her goat <br /> Oltepessi, Longido,Tanzania, Africa 2002.<br /> I set up my small tent to camp alone beneath the shadow of Longido Mountain. That night Maasai men sat with me near the fire and taught me how to roast goat on a stick. I reciprocated by showing them how I cook bread on a stick (toast). I shared with them photos of my family and they introduced me to theirs. They challenged me with evocative questions: “How big are oceans and what do they look like? What does snow feel like? What is cold?”
    Ndogodo, a Maasai girl with her goat Oltepessi, Longido,Tanzania,...
  • Young nomad girl keeps warm in Kham,Tibet 2006.
    Young nomad girl keeps warm in Kham,Tibet 2006.
  • Olgii,western Mongolia. Kazakh hunter and his eagle. Every year dozens of Kazakh hunters gather for the Golden Eagle festival amidst the craggy far western Altai Mountain range. They play traditional games: archery, horse and camel racing and Khukh-bar, a tug of war played on horseback with a sheepskin, although the most anticipated event that these proud men come for is to show off the skills of their hunting birds. Only one bird is declared a winner. But at the end of the day each man rides out just as regally as he rode in, covering the long distance back to his village on horseback with the weight of his huge eagle impressively balanced on the crook of his arm.
    Olgii,western Mongolia. Kazakh hunter and his eagle. Every year dozens...
  • Nomad woman in hat, Jyekundo, Kham, Tibet 2006.
    Nomad woman in hat, Jyekundo, Kham, Tibet 2006.
  • Nomad baby snuggled up, Barong Valley, Kham, Tibet 2006.
    Nomad baby snuggled up, Barong Valley, Kham, Tibet 2006.
  • Turquoise woman <br /> Kandze, Kham, Tibet 2004.<br /> The women from the Kham, Tibetan region, fervently spin their prayer-wheels, while somehow managing to balance the colorful array of amber, turquoise and coral woven throughout their hair.
    Turquoise woman Kandze, Kham, Tibet 2004. The women from the Kham,...
  • Hmong hill tribe girls with impressive coiffures, Lai Chau province, Northern Vietnam 1996.<br /> With the rest of the country’s economy benefiting from Vietnam opening up to foreign markets, highland people also strive to reap the financial benefits of the recent influx of tourism. Not only do the ethnic minorities have the country’s highest illiteracy rate but they struggle to survive diseases such as leprosy, tuberculosis, and malaria, as well as producing an increasing number of opium addicts. Until now, opium and timber selling have been the main source of income for these ethnic groups, with both trades leaving their impact on the environment.
    Hmong hill tribe girls with impressive coiffures, Lai Chau province,...
  • Muslim Man in glasses, Lanzhou, China 2005.
    Muslim Man in glasses, Lanzhou, China 2005.
  • Boy in bamboo glasses, Omo Valley, Ethiopia 2006.
    Boy in bamboo glasses, Omo Valley, Ethiopia 2006.
  • Man in teashop, Kabul, Afghanistan 2007.
    Man in teashop, Kabul, Afghanistan 2007.
  • Woman with hennaed hands, Thar Desert, Rajasthan, India 2011.<br /> This Hindu woman has decorated her hands with henna for the upcoming religious holiday.
    Woman with hennaed hands, Thar Desert, Rajasthan, India 2011. This Hindu...
  • Expectant bride, Las Vegas, Nevada 2005.<br /> I ran into this beautiful expectant bride while I was on a photo shoot in Las Vegas. She was tentative yet excited about her new life that was about to change in so many ways.
    Expectant bride, Las Vegas, Nevada 2005. I ran into this beautiful...
  • Love in the photo studio, Mazar-E-Sharif, Afghanistan 2007. I followed this woman into a photo studio, curious that she would get her photo taken with her burka on. I put one over my head and stood next to her. I looked at her, she looked at me, and we both started to laugh.
    Love in the photo studio, Mazar-E-Sharif, Afghanistan 2007. I followed...
  • Jennie, Navaho woman in front of her hogan <br /> Nazlini Navaho Reservation, Arizona ,2004.<br /> Jennie lives on the remote reservation with her family in a traditional mud hogan with no running water or electricity. With the onset of winter approaching they have only a small wood-burning stove for warmth. Work is scarce and Jennie is worried for the future of her niece.
    Jennie, Navaho woman in front of her hogan Nazlini Navaho...
  • Monk holding a twig, Degang Valley, Kham, Tibet 2005.
    Monk holding a twig, Degang Valley, Kham, Tibet 2005.
  • Nomad girl wearing wooden hair ornaments <br /> Tagong, Kham, Tibet 2005.
    Nomad girl wearing wooden hair ornaments Tagong, Kham, Tibet 2005.
  • Batnasan, nomad in his yurt <br /> Erdensoum, Mongolia 2006.<br /> I saddled up my horse and rode through the golden grasslands, where a very surprised Batnasan told me that the last foreigner he had seen was a Japanese tourist who had passed through this valley two years previously. Together we shared some airag tipple, the mare’s milk that turns slightly alcoholic as it ferments. In a surreal moment I found myself watching an episode of “Friends” in Mongolian, on a small black and white TV powered by a solar panel and satellite dish. As I rode away I wondered do Mongolians now spend time pondering Chandler’s romantic escapades while they are out milking their camels?
    Batnasan, nomad in his yurt Erdensoum, Mongolia 2006. I saddled up my...
All content © 1987-2022 Alison Wright. Any unauthorized reproduction or licensing of these photographs is in violation of U.S. and international copyright law.