Portraits at Work

For this edition of Common Ground, we asked photographer Stephanie Soh to capture images of men and women at work. Rather than the person being only an instrument of work or resource, we wanted Stephanie’s photos to help us see the humanity and dignity of people at work.

In the words of Stephanie:

“When considering subjects, it was immediately clear that I wanted to capture individuals I have relationships with. This is a collection of friends who I have a history with but also get to interact with regularly. I’ve seen them show up as dads, wives, team members, bosses, friends, supporters, and business owners. I have witnessed them all navigate challenges. We’ve celebrated together in moments of joy and, for some, even shed tears together in grief.

So, capturing them in their workplaces or, more accurately, outworking their passions, was easy and an honour. I hoped to do justice to each of my friends, capturing not only how highly I think of each of them, but also showing the depths of who they are in this season and beyond.”

In this collection, you’ll find a boat captain, a mother, a barista and café owner, a communications coordinator, and a boxing coach. Each has their own stories of resilience and skill in their respective roles.

(Images: Copyright Stephanie Soh, 2021)