Jun 20, 20202 min read

Portraits of Humanity

Safaa Kagan is a Los Angeles-based artist specializing in photographing traditional peoples worldwide.

Safaa Kagan | JM Art Management — Moroccan Boy

"The purpose of my work is to reveal the depth and beauty of human connection. I have dedicated the past several years of my life to traveling the world photographing various tribes and communities because I believe in the oneness of humanity. Whether the subject is a mother from Ethiopia or a young Tibetan monk getting initiated in Burma, or a Tuareg Blue man chief in charge of a whole village…We are all human and we all experience love, sadness, joy, family, hardships, etc. Ironically, by sharing images of people who seem very different on the surface, my goal is to show their commonality— the profoundness of the human soul present in each person, regardless of their physical appearances or cultural differences.

Human connection is always present. We simply have to arrive with an open mind and heart. I believe in the power of love and unity in the eyes of my subjects. I see so much division, so much separateness, so much judgment in the world today. I’ve seen how it has impacted me personally as well as how it impacts the world at large. My wish is that my photographs assist in dissolving the surface-level barriers between people, and instead, help us all ‘re-member’ that we truly are all one. When this is our perspective, the world experiences more peace, more harmony, and I think we can all agree that we could use a little more of those things."

Safaa Kagan is a travel photographer based between Miami and Los Angeles. Born and raised in Casablanca, Morocco, Safaa moved to the United States when to pursue her dream of becoming a photographer. Safaa studied art and earned a degree in Commercial Photography. She then apprenticed under many National Geographic photographic masters such as Steve McCurry, Sissie Brimberg, and Nancy Brown, working in portraiture and travel photography. This training broadened her horizons to the massive diversity of cultures across the world, triggering her desire to immerse herself in other cultures and traditions.

Safaa has now photographed many different tribes, communities, and countries around the world. Her portraiture work has earned her international awards, as well as recognition from people such as National Geographic Editor-in-Chief Karen Gunn.