In the Gestures We Forget to Hide by Omar Z. Robles

There’s something about hands that has always pulled me in

The way they carry so much, not just the things we hold, but everything we’ve touched, built, lost, protected. You can tell a lot about a person by their hands, if you know how to look. In my new street photography series, I’m focusing on just that: the hands of strangers, moving through the streets of New York City.

The roughness, the tenderness, the tiny, unconscious gestures that reveal so much about who we are when we think no one’s paying attention.

Before I was ever a photographer

I spent years studying gesture and non verbal expression, a path that led me to train with the legendary Marcel Marceau. Marceau believed (and showed us, over and over) that the hands can reveal what the voice cannot. That they are the purest extension of our thoughts and feelings.

His influence is something I carry with me every time I make a photograph, especially in this series. I still hear his voice, reminding me that the smallest movement can hold the whole story.

Woman Twisting Hair at Crosswalk: A gesture of thought, of waiting, of habit. A twist of hair becomes a thread pulling us into the unseen story behind a single moment on the street.

Hands give, and they take away

They can offer comfort or cause harm. They can build walls or tear them down. Sometimes they show the weight we’re trying so hard to hide, the tight grip, the nervous fidget, the gentle reaching out for connection. Without even realizing it, we speak through them.

Child’s Hands in School Bus Window: Behind fogged glass and raindrops, a tiny gesture rises, rebellious, playful, human. Even in passing moments, children remind us how much a hand can say without words.

Making photographs of something as specific and vulnerable, as hands is its own particular dance

On the streets, you have to move carefully, quietly, waiting for the right moment without disturbing it. If the person feels the camera too much, the hand changes. The truth slips away. It’s a practice in patience, humility, and presence, trying to portray something real without stealing it, to honor the gesture as it happens, and to make a photograph that feels true to the spirit of the moment.

Hands Hugging a Subway Pillar at 59th Street: Clinging to steel and silence, the city embraces back. Sometimes the only anchor in transit is a pause, a pillar, a pair of holding hands.

Touch is one of our first languages, and maybe one of our last

The way a hand lingers on a shoulder, the way two people find each other’s hands without even thinking, these small, almost invisible gestures carry so much of what it means to be human.

Clenched Hands Near Head: Grief, prayer, exhaustion, this hand speaks all three. In the absence of words, the body remembers everything it’s ever carried.

In the rush and noise of the city, I find myself looking for these quiet conversations

Through this series, I hope to share some of that, the unspoken language of hands, and to remind us all of how much we say, even when we don’t speak a word.

Couple Taking a Selfie Under Umbrellas: Love finds its light even in the rain. A quiet frame within the storm two hands, one photo, and a city paused for a moment of connection.

About the Photographer

Omar Z. Robles, Visual Storyteller

Omar Z. Robles

Omar Z. Robles’s journey into visual storytelling began in Paris, France, as an apprentice to legendary mime Marcel Marceau. Under Marceau’s mentorship, Robles learned to interpret the world through subtle, powerful gestures, a philosophy that continues to shape his photographic vision, particularly in his celebrated series featuring ballet dancers.Robles honed his narrative instincts working with major media outlets including The Chicago Tribune’s Hoy and Metro San Juan, gradually building a portfolio that includes portraits of cultural icons such as Jennifer Lopez, Enrique Iglesias, Marc Anthony, and Sara Montiel. Over time, his lens turned to the streets, where he became known for capturing the poetry of everyday life, juxtaposing the grace of dancers against the gritty architecture of New York, or documenting the quiet dignity of Harlem’s residents in Sunday portraits.His work has been widely recognized and featured in platforms like Instagram’s Blog, My Modern Met, Mashable, The Huffington Post, The Daily Mail, Design Taxi, Harper’s Bazaar, and more.Through his global travels, Robles has created compelling portraits that reflect each city’s culture, customs, and resilience. From the joy of a simple snowfall to the defiance of a Pride Parade, his images evoke emotion and humanity. During the COVID-19 pandemic and America’s reckoning with racial injustice, he photographed masked dancers jetéing through the streets, symbols of hope, endurance, and transformation.Robles’s work transcends borders. By bringing dancers to the pavement, he invites all people, regardless of race, gender, nationality, or income, to experience the joy, power, and possibility that art brings. In his images, the dancer becomes not just a subject, but a universal symbol of strength, beauty, and hope in the urban landscape. His latest book, In the Light of Day, We Dance, brings this vision to print. The limited-edition book, restricted to only 125 copies, offers an intimate and striking collection of his most powerful images to date. Each copy is a celebration of movement, resilience, and the enduring power of art in public spaces.

Explore his work Omar Z. Robles Website