Ramona Deckers (1982) is an Amsterdam based photographer. Her photographs are raw, uninhibited and lay bare private moments.

Photography, the way most of us use it day to day, has largely become an arena of self-celebration, of creating a perfect version of our lives for the public eye. It feels as though our authentic selves have become inadequate to be presented to the outside world. We put on a big smile to proclaim our happiness, again and again. What gets lost in the process is the essence that makes us who we really are.

Deckers recaptures that essence in people, showing the weaknesses that make them strong; the imperfections that make them unique; the sadness, the insecurity – things that help us relate to them on a much more intimate level. Her photography is a poetic search for intimacy.

The most important part of her process is creating a bond with her subject. She wants people to feel accepted, to trust her and open up in front of the lens.