TCF Ep. 656 - Stephanie Pommez

When photographer Stephanie Pommez began documenting the lives of traditional midwives in the Amazon, she was drawn by a desire to understand how communities shape meaning through ritual, labor, and shared belief. Over several years, she traveled through river-dweller communities, photographing women who serve not only as caretakers and healers, but as guardians of local culture. What began as a documentary exploration of daily life gradually opened onto something more expansive—an encounter with the oral traditions and myths that run alongside the visible world. That long engagement evolved into The Enchanted Ones, a lyrical and haunting project inspired by the stories of the encantados—mythical shapeshifting beings said to inhabit the rivers and forests of the Amazon. Shot in 35mm black and white, the book moves beyond conventional documentary, embracing ambiguity, atmosphere, and the porous boundary between reality and imagination. Rather than illustrating folklore from a distance, Pommez creates a visual meditation on a culture where myth and daily life are inseparable. The result is a deeply evocative tribute to the Ribeirinho communities and the invisible threads of story, memory, and belief that connect them. Resources Stephanie Pommez The Enchanted Ones Altadena Photographers Workshops & Upcoming Education with Ibarionex Perello Japan Spring Workshop 2026 An immersive photographic and cultural experience in Japan, focused on visual storytelling, observation, and creative growth. X-Pedition Hanoi A destination workshop centered on street photography, culture, and daily life in Hanoi, Vietnam. Raw Photo Fest An annual photography festival celebrating emerging and established photographers through exhibitions, talks, and community engagement. Support Ibarionex & The Candid Frame GoFundMe eBook Purchases Websites The Candid Frame PayPal Contribution Link Sponsors Charcoal Book Club Frames Magazine Education Resources Momenta Photographic Workshops Candid Frame Resources The Candid Frame Newsletter & Substack Blog Support the work at The Candid Frame by contributing via PayPal: You can follow Ibarionex on Instagram and X/Twitter

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TCF Ep. 656 - Stephanie Pommez is an episode from The Candid Frame: Conversations on Photography by Ibarionex R. Perello.

This episode is 33:32 long.

This episode was published on Mar 16, 2026.

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