Humans of Texas: Portraits and Stories from the Lone Star State.
A New Book in the Making…
Humans of Texas: Portraits and Stories from the Lone Star State
I am delighted to share a very special project that is currently taking shape: Humans of Texas: Portraits and Stories from the Lone Star State.
This book will be a photographic storytelling journey celebrating the people who give Texas its unmistakable heart, spirit, and character. Through authentic portraits and personal stories, I hope to create an honest and intimate record of the individuals who make this vast and wonderfully varied state what it is.
The Story Behind the Project
As an author and photographic storyteller originally from the United Kingdom and now living in the Texas Hill Country, I have become fascinated by the people I encounter and the stories they carry with them.
Texas is far more than its famous landscapes, historic landmarks, and familiar symbols. Its true identity can be found in its people, in the lives they have built, the challenges they have faced, the traditions they preserve, and the hopes they carry for the future.
Some people have roots in Texas that stretch back for generations. Others arrived only recently and are still discovering what it means to call the Lone Star State home. Each person experiences Texas differently, yet every voice contributes something meaningful to its continuing story.
That belief is at the heart of Humans of Texas.
Traveling Through the Lone Star State
For this project, I plan to travel through Texas, visiting busy cities, small towns, rural communities, and the quiet places in between.
Along the way, I will photograph and speak with everyday people from many different backgrounds and walks of life. They might be ranchers, teachers, artists, veterans, business owners, musicians, farmers, first responders, caregivers, students, retirees, or people quietly working behind the scenes in their communities.
They may have lived extraordinary adventures, overcome enormous challenges, or simply found meaning in the ordinary rhythms of daily life. Some stories may be joyful and uplifting, while others may speak of loss, courage, hardship, change, or starting again.
There is no single type of person I am searching for. The purpose of this book is to show Texas as it truly is: diverse, complicated, resilient, welcoming, and deeply human.
Portraits With a Story to Tell
The photographs featured in Humans of Texas will be more than traditional portraits. Each image will aim to capture something genuine about the person—their personality, surroundings, work, passions, or connection to the place they call home.
Whenever possible, photographs will be created in locations that hold meaning for the participant. This could be a family ranch, a favorite local café, a workshop, a front porch, a place of business, or simply a familiar corner of their community.
Alongside each portrait will be the person’s own words, allowing readers to meet them not only through an image but through their memories, experiences, and reflections.
Sharing Stories in a Comfortable Way
I understand that everyone has different schedules and comfort levels, so interviews will be relaxed and flexible.
Participants may choose to share their stories through an informal, in-person conversation or through a written interview completed by email. There is no expectation that anyone must be a polished speaker or writer. The most important thing is that each person feels comfortable and able to tell their story in a way that feels natural to them.
The conversations may explore subjects such as:
Childhood memories and family history
Texas traditions and community life
Work, creativity, and personal passions
Moments of joy, hardship, courage, or change
Lessons learned through life
Hopes and dreams for the future
What Texas means to them
The places and people that have shaped their journey
Sometimes the smallest details reveal the most, the memory of a grandparent’s kitchen, a family tradition passed through generations, the first sight of a Texas sunset, a difficult decision that changed everything, or a simple act of kindness that was never forgotten.
Why These Stories Matter
We often pass people every day without knowing what they have lived through, what they have overcome, or what dreams they still carry.
Behind every face is an entire world of memories, relationships, struggles, triumphs, and quiet moments that deserve to be remembered. A person does not need to be famous to have a remarkable story. Very often, the most powerful stories are found in lives that might appear ordinary from the outside.
Humans of Texas will honor those lives.
Together, the portraits and personal words will create a rich mosaic of modern Texas, a collection shaped by many voices rather than a single definition of what it means to be a Texan. I hope the finished book will encourage readers to pause, look more closely, and feel a genuine connection with people they might never otherwise have met.
Would You Like to Be Part of the Project?
As this journey begins, I would love to hear from people across Texas who may be interested in participating or who know someone whose story deserves to be shared.
You do not need to have lived a famous or dramatic life. You simply need to be willing to share something of yourself, your memories, your experiences, your hopes, your community, or the path that brought you to where you are today.
Whether your family has called Texas home for generations or you have only recently arrived, your experience is part of the state’s evolving story.
Follow the Journey
Humans of Texas: Portraits and Stories from the Lone Star State is still in its early stages, and there is a long and exciting road ahead. I look forward to sharing updates from my travels, behind-the-scenes moments, selected portraits, and glimpses of the remarkable people I meet along the way.
This book will ultimately belong to everyone who trusts me with a small piece of their life.
Every face holds a history.
Every place carries memories.
Every person has a story worth hearing.
Sometimes, the most powerful stories are waiting just beyond our own front door.
— Ria Cabral
Author and Photographic Storyteller
