Photographing Ana María Caballero: A Poetic Portrait Session

By Andres Hernandez | Portrait Photographer for Artists and Authors

I had the privilege of photographing Ana María Caballero, an award-winning Colombian-American poet, multidisciplinary artist, and a leading voice in the digital poetry movement. Known for her fearless exploration of identity, biology, and the unspoken spaces of domestic life, Ana María brought her whole creative spirit to this portrait session.

As a portrait photographer who collaborates with authors and artists, I aim to create imagery that feels intentional, honest, and emotionally resonant. For this shoot, Ana María wanted something minimal yet creative—portraits that would feel timeless but still carry a conceptual edge. We adopted a minimalist styling approach, utilizing a single light source to allow authenticity to take center stage.

One of the most powerful moments from the shoot and one of my personal favorites was a quiet act of rebellion. We spontaneously decided to tear pages from one of her books, Mid-life, and incorporate them into the composition. The gesture felt poetic, raw, and symbolic, perfectly echoing Ana María’s willingness to dissect, deconstruct, and reimagine both language and self. In a kind of beautiful accident, one of the torn pages fell perfectly in the middle of the frame, revealing the title Mid-life in clear focus. That moment, unplanned yet so fitting, subtly mirrored the in-between space her work so often explores: between motherhood and identity, intellect and emotion, tradition and disruption. It became one of the most memorable images of the day, capturing her intellectual intensity and quiet boldness in a single frame.

Her writing, acclaimed in both English and Spanish, challenges traditional notions of sacrifice, motherhood, and womanhood. From Entre domingo y domingo to A Petit Mal and Mammal, her words speak truths that many are afraid to voice. Ana María’s impact also extends into the digital space: she’s the first living poet to sell a poem via Sotheby’s and cofounder of theVERSEverse, a pioneering digital poetry gallery that explores the intersection of literature and blockchain technology.

Whether it’s through her Pushcart-nominated poetry, her exhibitions from Times Square to the Victoria & Albert Museum, or her writing for Forbes on Web3 culture, Ana María continues to redefine what it means to be a poet and a creator today.

Photographing her in Miami was more than an assignment; it was a collaboration rooted in trust, vision, and shared respect for storytelling.

If you’re a writer, artist, or creative soul seeking portraits that capture your voice and vision, I’d love to connect—whether you’re in Miami, New York City, or anywhere inspiration takes you.