Children’s Portraits
Classic Art for a Lifetime
»Unmasked Childhood«
In traditional portrait photography, staged images dominate — smiling faces, posed moments, expressions summoned on command. Especially with children, this ideal persists: “Come on, smile!” is a common phrase when they’re placed in front of the camera. But what happens when we don’t ask them to smile?
With my project Unmasked Childhood, I aim to shift the focus to the emotional world of children — beyond expectations and idealized imagery. I portray them as they truly feel: serious, vulnerable, angry, sad, or thoughtful. Emotions that are often hidden, suppressed, or simply overlooked.
These portraits are created through a mindful and age-appropriate process. It’s not about “taking” a photo, but about creating a space where children can be themselves — authentic and unfiltered. With younger children, I capture their spontaneous moods as they unfold. Older children are gently guided to reflect on and express what’s going on inside them.
My work is both an artistic and social statement: children are allowed to feel. They don’t have to perform. My images seek to make the invisible visible — and to show how much truth, depth, and beauty exists beyond the smile.
