An Invitation to Be Part of a Living Portrait Project
One person. One portrait. One story.
My name is Noel Jhinku, a nature photographer based in Dunedin, New Zealand. While landscapes and wildlife have always been my passion, I’ve become increasingly interested in photographing people, and the stories that sit behind the faces we pass every day.
Version 78 is a documentary portrait project about everyday people and the lives they live.
Each portrait becomes part of a growing collection of people from different backgrounds, places and stages of life, because every person has a story worth remembering.
WHAT TO EXPECT
Portrait sessions are short, relaxed and conversational. They usually take place outdoors, in natural light, at a location where you feel comfortable or somewhere that holds meaning for you.You don't need to know how to pose, and you don't need to have a remarkable story. Just come as you are.
Participation is completely voluntary and free of charge. You’ll receive digital copies of the photographs taken during your session.
Afterwards, we’ll have a brief conversation about your life. I’ll ask a small number of questions about the experiences, people and moments that have shaped you, who you are today, and where life might be taking you next.
You choose what you share. There are no right or wrong answers, and you can choose not to answer anything you're not comfortable with.
The portrait and conversation should take no more than approximately one hour in total.
WHY THIS PROJECT EXISTS
We pass countless numbers of people in our lifetime without ever knowing the lives they've lived. The childhoods, the losses and wins, the unexpected turns, the people and events that changed us, the things we've overcome, the little joyful moments, and the hopes we still carry.
Version 78 is about slowing down long enough to notice. It's about preserving a small piece of someone's life, not just how they looked at a particular moment, but something of who they were. Because life moves quickly, and memories changes, a photograph and a story can hold a moment still.
WHERE WILL THIS PROJECT BE PUBLISHED
Your portrait and story will become part of the Version 78 collection on this website. Each participant is assigned a sequential portrait number, creating a growing grid of faces and stories from people at different stages and places in life. The goal is to create a portrait collection that invites people to stop, look, and perhaps recognise something of themselves in someone they have never met.
BE PART OF VERSION 78
If this project resonates with you, I’d love to photograph you. You simply need to be willing to pause for a moment, be photographed, and share a little of the story that has brought you here. Everyone has a story, and I'd like to hear yours.
