Julia Cumes SDN Portfolio
45 images Created 29 Mar 2025
My work is rooted in storytelling—with a focus on human connection, resilience, and the quiet moments that reveal larger truths. Whether documenting gender identity on Cape Cod, ancestral cowboy culture in Hawaii, or the enduring impact of caste and poverty in India, I aim to create images that both honor my subjects and invite reflection from viewers.
My most recent project, Invisible Threads, continues in this spirit—exploring the lives of immigrants and foreign workers on Cape Cod through collaborative portraits and personal narratives. The series amplifies voices often overlooked in mainstream narratives and offers a deeper look at migration, identity, and belonging in a place many associate only with beauty and leisure.
Having grown up in apartheid-era South Africa, I understood early on the power of photography to expose injustice and spark empathy. That foundation continues to guide my work today as I explore themes like migration, gender inequality, sustainable livelihoods, and environmental change. I approach each project with curiosity, respect, and a deep commitment to listening.
The images in this portfolio span portraiture and documentary work from around the world, with a balance of long-term projects and single-frame stories. While the contexts vary, the goal remains the same: to amplify underrepresented voices, celebrate resilience, and create space for deeper engagement with the complexity of the world we live in.
Each project represented here is part of a much larger body of work, often developed over months or years, and this selection offers only a small window into the broader narratives behind them.
My most recent project, Invisible Threads, continues in this spirit—exploring the lives of immigrants and foreign workers on Cape Cod through collaborative portraits and personal narratives. The series amplifies voices often overlooked in mainstream narratives and offers a deeper look at migration, identity, and belonging in a place many associate only with beauty and leisure.
Having grown up in apartheid-era South Africa, I understood early on the power of photography to expose injustice and spark empathy. That foundation continues to guide my work today as I explore themes like migration, gender inequality, sustainable livelihoods, and environmental change. I approach each project with curiosity, respect, and a deep commitment to listening.
The images in this portfolio span portraiture and documentary work from around the world, with a balance of long-term projects and single-frame stories. While the contexts vary, the goal remains the same: to amplify underrepresented voices, celebrate resilience, and create space for deeper engagement with the complexity of the world we live in.
Each project represented here is part of a much larger body of work, often developed over months or years, and this selection offers only a small window into the broader narratives behind them.