They say that beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and it’s true. Everyone has their own idea of what beauty looks like, especially when it comes to people. So, Romanian photographer Mihaela Noroc began capturing the diverse beauty of women from around the world in 2013. And now she’s shared them in her new book, *The Atlas of Beauty*, which proves that beauty comes in all types of skin color, age, and nationality. The women in these photos are not made-up like Hollywood celebrities, but in their natural state, they’ve redefine how we look at beauty, and they’re breathtaking!While their father is Nigerian, their mother is from Ethiopia. But you might as well call them globe trotters since they grew up in six different countries thanks to their parents, who work for the UN. After graduation, they plan to leave New York and head to Africa to put their knowledge to good use in a continent that could benefit from their experiences.
Caterina knew she was a dancer since she was 3. But there weren’t too many opportunities in her village, so, her mom Barbara left her husband and son, and moved with Caterina to Milan, Italy, so her daughter could attend the best schools possible and turn her dancing dream into a reality.
Here, we see Sona celebrating the popular Hindu festival of colors, which encourages people to forgive and ask to be forgiven. It’s ultimately the time when evil loses and good wins. But it’s safe to say that evil never had a chance with this mesmerizing beauty.
Here we see a beautiful Amazonian tribal native, who sat on a tree while wearing a wedding dress. Notice how she’s combined the modern look of a typical wedding dress with the traditional style of her people? That’s so trendy!
Due to the high temperatures, it’s not uncommon to find some of the locals wearing nothing but beautiful jewelry around their necks. Just ask this lovely young woman from the Daasanach tribe, whose people have valued their isolation for several generations.
Just look at Eda. She has the face, posture, and all-around character of a fierce woman, and yet she spends all her time turning her innermost private thoughts into beautiful thought-provoking poetry that reflects her inner strength and serenity.
People here don’t have the luxuries we take for granted, like a huge bank account, or their own cars. But what they lack in finances, they make up for in strength, honesty, generosity, and a beautifully humble lifestyle.
Jade, whose green eyes are simply haunting, took out a loan to buy herself a professional camera. Someday, she hopes she’ll be able to travel the world and take photographs to share with everyone. But with that piercing gaze, we have no doubt that her determination will help her achieve that goal.
When Mihaela Noroc traveled to India, she was pleasantly surprised to see that more and more women like this one, had joined the public forces, proving that beauty and authority truly go hand in hand.
She’s currently studying to become a photographer and travel the world taking shots of the most beautiful landscapes across the globe. In the meantime, she’s learning by taking passport photos in this shop.
According to Noroc, this photo was taken right before she performed in a traditional dance. But if she looks tough, it’s because she’s had to deal with legislative proposals that undermine women’s rights groups. But although violence and discrimination may be present, we wouldn’t want to mess with this enchantress.
As a guide in a military museum, this beauty represents the kind of positive changes that are slowly changing the way societies around the world are looking at women when it comes to equality.
This lovely young woman is wearing a traditional Mongolian outfit known as a deel. But despite the subdued nature of the style, she has still managed to shine in a place where equality and diversity still has a long way to go.
