Exhibition · 2015

50 Shades of Woman

Stefánia Palace, Budapest

In my own words

One woman is never just one woman. That was the whole starting point. I wanted to photograph the entire emotional spectrum — the distance between what the world expects of you and what you actually see in the mirror at seven in the morning.

Fifty shades felt about right, though we could have gone on forever. Some of the sessions were laughter from start to finish. Some ended in tears, and those pictures are among the truest I have ever made. The title was a wink at the book everyone was reading that year; the content had nothing to do with it.

Gallery

Works from the exhibition

Black-and-white street portrait of a woman in a floral-print blouse and blazer walking along a sunlit boulevard, carrying a handbag.
Toned studio portrait of a woman in a white dress leaning against a wall, one arm raised above her head, casting a dramatic shadow.
Close-up black-and-white portrait of a woman with tousled blonde hair, smiling gently at the camera.
Intimate close-up portrait of a woman with dark hair partly covering her mouth, looking upward with a soft smile.
Artistic black-and-white close-up of a nude woman's hips and torso wrapped with a delicate metal chain.
Studio portrait of a woman with dark hair and bold makeup, arms outstretched, wearing a strapless top.
Fine-art nude study of a woman stretching upward against a wall in a graceful, sculptural silhouette.
Portrait of a woman wearing a flower crown, holding a glowing jar of light close to her chest.
Dramatic black-and-white portrait of a couple in an intense embrace, the man biting his tie while the woman leans back.
Close-up beauty portrait of a woman with a rhinestone-decorated lip and a diamond teardrop below her eye.
Dynamic black-and-white dance portrait of a woman in a black outfit striking a poised, graceful pose on pointed toes.
Warm portrait of a smiling woman hugging a plush teddy bear close to her face.
Full-length studio portrait of a smiling woman in a striped knit dress, arms crossed, legs elegantly crossed.
Action shot of a young woman leaping mid-air near a marina, arms and legs extended in a dynamic jump.
High-key portrait of a woman leaning against a white railing on a boardwalk, holding a woven handbag.
Portrait of a woman with wind-blown blonde hair partly covering her face, wearing a black lace top.
Portrait of a woman with curly hair standing beside a cello, holding its neck and the bow.
Soft window-lit close-up portrait of a woman resting her clasped hands near her chin, leaning against a striped blind.
Intimate black-and-white bedroom scene of two women lying on a bed, smiling and talking closely.
Tender portrait of a mother and baby touching hands and gazing at each other outdoors.
Close-up fine-art nude study focusing on a woman's torso and hand resting against black lace lingerie.
Studio headshot of a smiling woman with a short pixie haircut, wearing a denim jacket.
Close-up portrait of a smiling elderly woman with white hair, her face full of warmth and character.
Triptych of a woman posing with a leather glove near handwritten Hungarian text on her skin, an artistic body-writing series.
Toned portrait of a woman holding a fluffy cat close to her bare shoulder, looking directly at the camera.
Sepia-toned portrait of a young woman in a hooded jacket over a light top, hands in her pockets.
Close-up portrait of a woman with striking eyes, her hair falling across half of her face.
Sepia-toned portrait of a couple sharing an affectionate moment beneath an ornate stone archway.
Fantasy-styled portrait of a woman wearing a masquerade mask and feathered angel wings, in lace lingerie and thigh-high boots.
Playful portrait of a smiling woman biting the arm of her eyeglasses, dressed in a striped sweater.
Retro-toned portrait of a woman with sunglasses pushed up on her head, opening her denim jacket to reveal a graphic tank top.
High-contrast fashion portrait of a woman in a flowing patterned dress leaning against a wall, one arm raised.
Sepia dance portrait of a woman veiled in a sheer scarf, arms raised in a graceful, flowing pose.
Backlit sunset portrait of a joyfully laughing couple on a bridge, the woman wearing a decorative headpiece.
Tender black-and-white portrait of an elderly couple, the man kissing the woman gently on the cheek outdoors.
Sepia-toned portrait of a woman on a playground swing, resting her head against the chain, gazing at the camera.
Duotone outdoor portrait of a bespectacled woman smiling gently while holding a dandelion seed head.
Profile portrait of a woman with wind-swept hair looking downward, softly lit against a dark background.
Two women in the sea whip their wet hair back in unison, creating matching arcs of water spray, with a sailboat in the background.
Low-angle outdoor portrait of a woman in sunglasses and sneakers sitting on stone steps against a bright sky.
Low-key fine-art nude study emphasizing the curves of a woman's shoulder and torso in dramatic side lighting.
Close-up portrait of two laughing women with tousled blonde hair, one wearing a lace-patterned top.
Close-up portrait of a woman with curled hair and dramatic eye makeup, resting her chin thoughtfully on her hands.
Low-key nude study of a woman's neck and shoulder illuminated with glistening light in profile.
Close-up glamour portrait of a woman resting her cheek on a rhinestone-studded sleeve, gazing intently at the camera.
Casual studio portrait of a smiling woman wearing a sweatshirt printed with the words 'Tres Chic'.
Tender outdoor portrait of a mother and young daughter, the girl resting her head gently on her mother's shoulder.
Sepia-toned silhouette portrait of a woman seated on a clear acrylic chair, high heels visible beneath crossed legs.
Joyful portrait of a smiling pregnant woman in denim overalls, holding a phone displaying an ultrasound image.
Full-length studio portrait of a woman with wind-tossed hair, wearing a black camisole and light trousers, hand on hip.

© Norbert Bánhalmi / BANHALMI. All rights reserved. Images from the BANHALMI archive, 1999–2026.

Press & media

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Why it belongs here

Why it belongs here

How it connects to the wider work

One woman is never just one woman. That was the whole starting point. I wanted to photograph the entire emotional spectrum — the distance between what the.

Period of the oeuvre

II2014–2016Human stories and historical memory

Read about this period

Connected records

Presence-research period · IV

Institutions, books and exhibitions

This exhibition belongs here because of the question behind it, the photographs it brought together and the traces it left in public.

Archive overviewInstitutions, books and exhibitions Press and moving image50 Shades of Woman Curatorial dossierResearch context