These beautifully sensual images of real witches are a symbol of the ‘power, freedom and refusal’ of all women  

The photographer Harley Weir has collaborated with the fashion designer Dilara Findikoglu for a beautiful new project exploring what it means to be a witch in 2026.

Taking its roots from the traditions of folk magic and mythology in Romania, a new publication aims to take another look at witchcraft and the perceptions of it through the ages.

Throughout history, witches were associated with fear and an embodiment of what the patriarchy wanted to control. Women across the world were persecuted, marginalised and executed for refusing to fit in or conform. To this day, the word witch remains mostly a pejorative term.

In these images, the photographer and fashion designer aim to reclaim the word, turn a vilified narrative on its head and instead represent women through their defiance and knowledge, celebrating the power in femininity.

To create the set, Weir and Findikoglu travelled across eight cities and villages in just five days. They captured images which show women reconnecting with their own bodies, as well as spirituality and nature – they wanted to harness the energy that all women possess with themselves and unleash it through this gorgeous imagery.

Speaking about the work, Harley Weir said, “We photographed real witches, and powerful women on a journey across Romania. For centuries, the witch has been used as a symbol of evil. But maybe she was never scary because she was evil, maybe she was scary because she was free. Across history, women who were outspoken, independent, sexual, knowledgeable, or simply unwilling to conform have been treated as dangerous. The witch became a name for the woman who could not, or would not, be controlled.

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