“She lived by the river’s edge and at night she could hear the Boto*, moving under her house. It came to her in the shape of a man and seduced her. Over time, she gave birth to two Tucuxis**. The midwife baptized and released the creatures back into the water.”
—from traditional Amazon River myth
* Boto: name given to the river dolphins native of the Amazon region.
** Tucuxi: A species of freshwater dolphin.
The Enchanted Ones, a new photo book by
Stephanie Pommez, is a visual tale that drifts between reality and myth, inspired by the legends of the Brazilian Amazon. Shot entirely on 35mm black-and-white film, the book moves beyond documentary into the realm of the imaginary, capturing a world where the seen and unseen coexist.
The project began as a three-year endeavor photographing and interviewing traditional midwives in the Amazon and was later pitched and picked up by National Geographic International and Arte at the IDFA Festival. But as Pommez spent time with these women, she not only documented their role in childbirth but also listened to the stories they carried—tales of spirits, enchanted beings, and the unseen forces that shape life in the region.
“I have a very strong bond with nature. I can tell when she is reproducing, when she has just given birth, when she is smiling, when she feels pleasure. The tree is like a woman.”
Over three years, she traveled along the rivers and tributaries, photographing the women who guide new life into the world and preserve ancient knowledge. The Ribeirinhos, whose heritage blends Indigenous, African, and Portuguese roots, live in small, remote communities shaped by the rhythm of the rivers and the forest.
At the heart of the book are the Encantados—shapeshifting beings said to inhabit the waters and forests. These mythical figures blur the boundary between human and spirit. Among them is the Boto, a freshwater dolphin that, according to legend, takes human form to lure people into the enchanted world beneath the river. Pommez's images echo these stories, steeped in the mystical forces that define life along the Amazon.
“Let me tell you about my neighbor Maria. One lonely night, while her husband was away fishing, she heard a voice cry in the dark “Maria! Bring me some light.” She thought it was her husband returning but it was the Boto. It took her to the enchanted world at the bottom of the river.”
The photographs evoke a sense of mystery and tradition. Pommez uses overlays from archival images to suggest the coexistence of multiple realities. Transparent paper in the book creates a ghostly effect, allowing the images to hover between worlds. A photograph of a midwife standing in a doorway suggests her role as both healer and spiritual guide. Another image shows a snake over the river, referencing the Cobra Grande, a mythical serpent that emerges to transform or destroy.
“I accompany women through the storm, through their dreams and in between worlds.”
“I am from a place where the labyrinth of rivers, the lines on my hands, the vines of the forest, and the umbilical cord of a baby, carry life and spirit it away.”
The Enchanted Ones is more than a visual journey. It is a tribute to the stories passed down through generations, preserving a fragile cultural heritage. Pommez's photographs capture the beauty and complexity of these beliefs. This book offers an invitation to witness a world where myth and reality merge, and where the echoes of the enchanted endure.
About the author
Stephanie Pommez is a photographer and filmmaker based in New York and Paris. Her images have been published and exhibited in various countries, and her documentary has been broadcast on channels such as National Geographic, Arte, TV Cultura, and TV5, among others.
www.stephaniepommez.com
@stephaniepommez
