23rd Annual Smithsonian Magazine Photo Contest People
The unblinking archive

This portrait was taken in a remote village in Papua New Guinea; It depicts an elderly woman of the local tribe. My goal was to highlight the profound depth in her eyes, which seem to hold the weight of generations of tradition and history. Using only natural light, the image seeks to convey underlying sadness of a life deeply connected to an ancient, changing world.

Photo Detail
Date Taken: 10.2025
Date Uploaded: 10.2025
Photo Location: Mt Herbert, Papua New Guinea
Camera: ILCE-7M3
Copyright: © Julia Mortarotti