Naomi Cohen focuses
her lens on the World
The artist’s work reflects her passion for connecting with people and places
By Craig Cormack
October 16, 2024
Picture this: a 15-year-old girl from Montreal clutching her parents’ 35mm camera, set loose on a school trip with a handful of film rolls and a pocket full of dreams. Fast-forward to today, and that same girl has blossomed into a globetrotting image-maker extraordinaire, with a passport so stamped it looks like a work of art itself.
After Dawson College’s photography programme, Naomi Cohen‘s talent shone early when she was chosen from hundreds to work on a campaign for Dans La Rue, where she eventually became the principal photographer for four years. Her interests then span street and editorial photography, with past aspirations of working for high-fashion magazines like W or Vogue.
I am not afraid… I feel so comfortable and safe and I am never alone because my camera is my companion.
Now, when Cohen says she’s a citizen of the world, she’s not just tossing around fancy phrases. This photographer has lived in more countries than most of us have visited museums. Thailand, the UK, Poland, the Caribbean – you name it, she probably went there. And let me tell you, her tales could make a seasoned traveller’s head spin.
Cohen’s travels have enriched her perspective and informed her storytelling. Her passion for photography and exploration continues to shape her narratives, as she seeks to document the diverse cultures and experiences she encounters worldwide. Take her trip to Cambodia. While most of us might hesitate, Cohen goes there, cool as a cucumber, sharing drinks with a Khmer Rouge bigwig and snapping pics of local kids.
I remarked to her that I had heard that war photographers often feel a false sense of security in war zones because they are behind the camera, behind the lens, and feel removed from reality, sometimes photographing their own deaths. She agreed having experienced this. “It’s a funny thing, things that might scare other people when travelling. “I feel like a superhero with my camera,” she told me, her eyes gleaming with the confidence of someone who’s stared down far scarier things than my skeptical raised eyebrow.
‘Despite her globe-trotting, thrill-seeking ways, Cohen has a soft spot for the forgotten and the decayed.’
Cohen’s artistic DNA is a wild cocktail of influences: David LaChapelle, Joel-Peter Witkin, Annie Leibovitz… but it’s her fascination with war photography that gets her pulse racing. “In war photography, there are always three sides to the story, and the third side is the truth,” she mused, revealing a depth far beyond simply pointing and shooting.
But here’s where it gets interesting. Despite her globe-trotting, thrill-seeking ways, Cohen’s got a soft spot for the forgotten and the decayed. Abandoned buildings? She’s drawn to them like a magnet. Street scenes that most would walk by? She turns them into pure eye candy.
‘My goal is to break down fear and prejudice,” she states, and her work delivers on that promise.’
Her recent Mexico City adventure is a perfect example. She’s there, exploring this decrepit hotel called La Posada del Sol, navigating through holes in the floor and probably a ghost or two. “It was aging structure—concrete—stained glass, great lighting dark and creepy, but not so scary,” she recounted, making it sound like a stroll through High Park rather than a potential mishap waiting to happen.
Being in the middle of the fight and documenting combat is a dream that Cohen has always had from a young age. She lists “The Bang Bang Club” as one of her favourite movies. She also admitted that it would probably kill her emotionally to do the job. But it’s not all urban exploration and dare-devilry. Cohen has a conscience too. She captured the human spirit in places like Aswan, Egypt, experiencing Ramadan with the locals and bringing their stories to light.
In the end, what strikes me about Naomi Cohen isn’t just her talent—though she’s got that in spades—it’s her mission. “My goal is to break down fear and prejudice,” she states, and her work delivers on that promise. She’s not just taking pictures—she’s showing us the world through a lens of compassion, curiosity, and just a touch of audacity. And let me tell you, it’s one remarkable view.
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Craig Cormack is a martial artist, healer, and musician. He has a passion for history, and the arts including film, theatre, and musical performances. He works with seniors to help them stay healthy and keep their balance. He is a principal at Rising Tao Integrative – risingtao.ca
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