Austrian-born photographer Romy Rainer has spent years capturing portraits of celebrities and icons in professional settings. However, when she ventured onto the streets of New York City to photograph strangers for her latest project, she noticed a striking pattern: women hesitated significantly more than men before agreeing to be photographed. This observation sparked her ambitious photo series titled "What If Vulnerability Was Strength?" which explores themes of honesty, identity, and the quiet power of being seen.

Rainer's project took her across three distinct neighborhoods in New York City throughout 2025, including Harlem, the Lower East Side, and Brooklyn. During these sessions, she approached both men and women on the street, asking them to participate in spontaneous portrait sessions. Each participant was then asked to respond to three deeply personal questions: "If your heart could speak, what would it say right now?" "What part of yourself do you wish was seen more clearly?" and "If you could reveal one hidden piece of yourself, what would it be?"

The photographer's professional background includes five years as First Assistant at the prestigious Seliger Studio, where she led the photo department and oversaw high-profile editorial productions for major publications including Vanity Fair, Esquire, and The New York Times. Drawing from her experience as a former competitive ice hockey player, Rainer learned early on what it meant to fight for space and recognition in male-dominated environments. These lessons became her anchor in the photography industry, reminding her that she didn't need to shrink to fit in.

Throughout the street photography sessions, Rainer observed that women consistently displayed more reluctance before agreeing to participate compared to their male counterparts. This hesitation reflected how deeply many women are taught to manage their public appearance, to carefully curate themselves before stepping forward, and to second-guess their decisions about visibility. However, every woman who ultimately consented transformed that initial hesitation into a glowing presence before the camera.

One of Rainer's subjects in the Lower East Side, Shaquita Garcia, a Cleveland native who relocated to New York City and became the founder-designer behind AART NYC, beautifully affirmed her participation in the project. Garcia later posted about the experience, writing, "Walking the streets of New York as my authentic self is one thing, but for a fellow artist to see that in me is the prize." When asked what part of herself she wished others saw more clearly, Garcia responded simply and powerfully: "My heart."

Another memorable encounter involved a woman wearing a hijab who was deeply hesitant at first, telling Rainer, "I don't know if I can do this." She maintained her distance, uncertain whether to step forward, but eventually allowed herself to be photographed. Despite her subtle guard, her final portrait exuded raw strength, serving as a testament to how vulnerability and self-protection often coexist. That tension became an integral part of the image itself, creating a quiet testament to the courage required to say yes even when every instinct suggests holding back.

While only a small number of women agreed to participate without hesitation, those who did left Rainer deeply inspired. Even when insecurities surfaced through body language like folded arms, nervous laughter, or whispered doubts about readiness, the simple act of stepping forward represented a personal victory. As another subject named Neiny reflected afterward, "I don't always feel confident, but maybe confidence is simply saying yes to being visible."

One participant who particularly filled Rainer with hope was a young woman named Ocean, also from the Lower East Side, who showed no hesitation to participate in the photo series. There was no mask to peel back, no reluctance to overcome. When asked the first question about what her heart would say, Ocean responded with remarkable clarity: "If my heart could speak, it would say to always shine a light on your authenticity and embrace it. It'll always keep you grounded." Her portrait captured a quiet strength that didn't need to prove itself, embodying a kind of presence that filled the frame with complete honesty.

Rainer's project reveals that each woman's portrait emerged as a small act of reclamation, providing proof that personal value doesn't derive from perfection but from authentic presence. The photographer believes that authenticity itself can be radical in a world that frequently asks women to perform rather than simply exist as themselves. Through her lens, she discovered that showing up as one's true self represents an act of power in its purest form.

The "What If Vulnerability Was Strength?" series is currently on exhibit at Vienna's FotoWien through 2025, allowing viewers to witness these moments of courage and authenticity captured on the streets of New York City. Rainer's work demonstrates how the strength to be vulnerable and to show up authentically represents a form of power that is too often overlooked in contemporary society, particularly for women navigating public spaces and personal visibility.