“Helena in the Sun” and “Agata on the Porch” by Zosia Laskowska

Helena in the Sun"

I met Helena while volunteering in Tunisia during the summer of 2024. I took the photo while all the models were getting ready just before the photoshoot—it was her first time wearing makeup, and she mentioned that she would like to learn how to do it herself. The conversation felt bittersweet, and it made me reflect on how body dysmorphia can arise from such experiences, as I’ve had similar ones with makeup in the past. Styled in clothes that weren’t hers, with makeup applied by someone else, she embodied a different version of herself but still seemed genuinely happy and excited for the shoot.

"Agata on the Porch"

I also met Agata while volunteering in Tunisia. She had a unique habit of curling her hair overnight using Christmas socks and often walking around the house in them. The photo shows her seated on the porch of the house where we lived for two months—a white villa near the sea, always covered in sand, with floaties and sandals scattered around.