A series chronicling an unconscious search for familial connection by Toronto-based photographer Angela Lewis. “Places We’ve Never Been” explores the connection between Lewis’ late grandma and the older women she has photographed throughout the years. Triggered by a chance encounter in Vancouver, Angela realized she has been drawn to photographing women alone in nature. The portraits, always taken from behind, capture a moment of introspection, with each subject seemingly lost in their own world. The anonymity of the women allows the viewer to step into the image, projecting their own narratives and memories:

“My grandma, Marjorie Lewis, passed away when she was only 65, and I was 12. Her loss was deeply felt within our family, and at that young age, I struggled to comprehend its impact. I’ve come to understand that the women I’ve been obsessively photographing represent my grandma in some way, whether it’s the pattern on their clothes, their hair, the surroundings, or more often than not, an intuitive feeling. In spring 2021, I began deliberately seeking out women in places I imagined my grandma would have liked, places we never had the chance to explore together. Much like the grieving process, I suspect this project will never be complete. Whenever I see a woman connecting to nature, absorbed in her own world, I will probably want to photograph her.”

See more from “Places We’ve Never Been” below.