TITLE: Maria is the mother of «Keldelari»

She has a very high status in the Roma society. She is a symbol of wisdom, respect and traditions. Her authority influences not only the family circle, but also the entire community, because she preserves the cultural heritage and unites people around family values. Her advice is the voice of generations, and her support is a source of strength for all loved ones. Mother Maria has 8 children, 64 grandchildren and 108 great-grandchildren.

AUTHOR: Michael Dorohovich (Ukraine)

Michael Dorohovich is a portrait and documentary photographer, born in 1978 in Transcarpathia, in the small town of Uzhgorod.
Winner of the MONOVISIONS Black & White Photography Awards 2023 (single) award. He holds a master's degree in photography from the Kyiv University of Culture and is a teacher of audiovisual art at the Uzhgorod Academy of Culture and Arts.
Winner and prize-winner of many prestigious world awards in the field of photography. His works have received international recognition and have been exhibited in museums and galleries in Japan, India, North America and many European countries.
Author of photo projects that presented the culture and traditions of Transcarpathia to the whole world: “Famous and Interesting Personalities of Transcarpathia” (2021 - 2022); "Cultural Ethnos of Transcarpathia" (2022); "High-mountain inhabitants of the Ukrainian Carpathians" (2023-2024); "Unique women of the Roma culture Keldelari" (2023-2025).
Throughout his life, he has been engaged in solo mountaineering and mountain solo trekking. He traveled through the mountain systems of the Carpathians, Crimea, Caucasus, Alps, Altai, Kamchatka, Pamir and Tien Shan. He recorded all his ascents in photo landscapes.

Awards:

Winner of the Year - MONOVISIONS Black & White Photography Awards 2023 (single). London, United Kingdom.
1st Place - BLACK & WHITE PEOPLE SERIES OF THE YEAR 2023. MONOVISIONS Black & White Photography Awards 2023 (London,United Kingdom).
1st Place winner in "Tokyo International Foto Awards 2022", category Fine Art, (Tokyo,Japan).
1st Place winner in "BIFA — Budapest International Foto Awards 2024", category "People", "Unique Families of The Roma Community of Keldelari."
1st Place in the two categories - People / Lifestyle and People / Family of the IPA — International Photography Awards 2024 (Los Angeles, California);
PLATINUM Winner of the "MUSE Photography Awards 2023", category Black & White Photography / People.
Laureate of the portrait award - STF (Shoot The Frame) Awards - October 2022, April - August - December 2024 (Thornbury, Australia).
GOLD Winner of the "London Photography Awards 2023" in 4 categories.
GOLD WINNER « London Photography Awards 2024», category People Photography / Culture «The unique Roma culture of Keldelari.», category People Photography / Lifestyle «Highland inhabitants of the Ukrainian Carpathians.»
GOLD Winner of the " EPA – EUROPEAN PHOTOGRAPHY AWARDS 2023." in 4 categories.
GOLD Winner of the " EPA – EUROPEAN PHOTOGRAPHY AWARDS 2024." in 2 categories.
GOLD Winner of the “GLOBAL PHOTOGRAPHY AWARDS 2024” in the People Photography / Family category.
GOLD Winner in “ND Awards 2022” - category PEOPLE/PORTRAIT (series).
GOLD Winner in BIFA - Budapest International Foto Awards 2023, category Editorial / Personality.
GOLD Winner of the "MUSE Photography Awards 2023", category People Photography / Culture.
Finalist of the international photo contest "THE 83rd INTERNATIONAL PHOTOGRAPHIC SALON OF JAPAN" 2023.
2st Place Winner in “IPA - International Photography Awards 2022”, category People /Portrait, Non-Professional. Jury Top 5 Selection - Emanuele Cucuzza( Los Angeles, California.)
2st Place Winner in “MONOVISIONS Black & White Photography Awards 2022”