Photo Documentary

The “Country Doctor” Project

Sometimes, a camera becomes a powerful tool—almost a weapon—capable of driving significant change.

I understand the immense power of visual storytelling. To me, documentary photography is a way of broadening perspectives and revealing reality to others. Immersed in our daily routines, we often struggle to perceive the world beyond our immediate surroundings. Photography helps bridge that gap, allowing us to see our reality more clearly through the images we capture.

The *Country Doctor* project focuses on doctors working in the mountainous regions of Guria, Adjara, Svaneti, and Lechkhumi. Their dedication shapes a unique reality within our broader world.

The Petre Shotadze Tbilisi Medical Academy played a crucial role in bringing this project to life, merging photography with medicine. What makes this project particularly meaningful to me is that it was primarily created by academy students. They documented the daily lives of their future colleagues, capturing their work on film. Without their passion and commitment, I doubt I could have brought this project to fruition on my own.

Throughout this process, I discovered a striking similarity between photographers and doctors: trust is essential. Just as patients must trust their doctors, subjects must trust their photographers. This trust directly influences the outcome of both professions.

Each photo session required different preparations, especially in the mountains, where every movement and emotion is deeply felt. Body language became my primary tool in ensuring that my subjects felt open to communication. I never concealed my emotions; I wanted them to see that I genuinely enjoyed working with them. I explained that their environment was familiar, precious, and unique to me. They felt it, too, and in that moment, a transformation occurred in front of the camera. That’s when their individuality and essence could truly be captured on film.

The project spanned three years and involved 15 students. The images they created hold as much significance to me as my own because my photography is both an act of observation and a form of research. I chose this profession because it is deeply connected to people—it exists for them and because of them. Every encounter leaves a lasting impact.

I hope that the *Country Doctor* stories, preserved on film, will one day contribute to real, meaningful change for the people they portray.