Photographer Captures People Around the World ‘Just Doing Their Jobs’

Jun 27, 2025

Matt Growcoot

A male ballet dancer performs a high split jump in the middle of a colorful, sunlit street lined with old buildings, as people watch and cars are parked along the sides. — Ballet dancer in Havana, Cuba.

After Brian Doben hit an impasse in his professional photography career, he spoke to his wife about quitting. But she encouraged him to go back to basics.

“I felt like I was just going through the motions. There was no connection, no spark. I felt like an imposter. I called my wife, Nancy, after a shoot and told her, ‘I’m not having fun anymore. I think I’m done’,” Doben tells PetaPixel.

But Nancy saw through it and told her husband to go and do what he used to do: photograph people, make portraits, and talk to them.

“So I extended my stay in Nashville and decided to visit small businesses and photograph the people running them — no agenda, just conversation. It was exhilarating. Getting to know their energy and passion started to fill my heart again. The photograph became secondary; the dialogue became everything. That meaningful exchange was what I’d been missing for so long.”

A woman sits on grass surrounded by chickens, smiling and looking up. She wears a knit hat, sweater, and boots. A basket of eggs is by her side, and wooden coops are in the background. — Chicken farmer in Sterling, Massachusetts.

A worker in a cherry picker truck maintains the illuminated "Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas, Nevada" sign at dusk, with palm trees and a clear sky in the background. — Sign maintenance in Las Vegas.

A woman in a workshop leans over a table, using a tool to work on jewelry. The workspace is cluttered with tools, beads, and other crafting materials, with natural light streaming through a nearby window. — Jewelry designer in Missoula, Montana.

A woman rides a black and white horse across a snowy landscape at sunset, with sunlight streaming behind her and clouds glowing in the sky. — Horseback tour guide in Iceland.

Doben’s initial photos turned into a full-blown project that saw him traverse the world photographing people working, which is now a book aptly titled At Work.

“There was no grand plan, no long-term vision. I didn’t set out to build a body of work. I just needed to reconnect—with people, with purpose, and with photography,” Doben explains. “Since 2012, I’ve photographed over 500 people across the globe. Different cultures, different trades — but the same thread running through them: purpose. The more stories I witnessed, the more my own love for photography returned. My heart started to fill again.”

A woman works on a sparkling white ballet tutu displayed on a dress form in a well-lit studio filled with shelves, fabrics, and art supplies. — Costumier in London, England.

A worker in safety gear uses a tool while standing on a large, circular industrial machine part inside a spacious, modern facility with high ceilings and metal beams. — Wind testing technology center in Boston, Massachusetts.

A woman in a mermaid costume sits among colorful coral and rocks inside a large aquarium, surrounded by many fish swimming in clear blue water. — Mermaid in Las Vegas, Nevada.

A smiling male boxer with dreadlocks stands in front of a boxing ring outdoors, wearing yellow and black gloves and red shorts. The background shows another person and an empty seating area. — Boxer in Havana, Cuba.

Doben says At Work has helped not only his photo career but his personal life, too. “For the first time in my career, I feel like I have a voice in the work. There’s a confidence now that what I create is honest and true, and that I’m showing up with integrity,” he says.

“More than anything, I’ve become comfortable in my own skin. And that shift goes a long way. Pretending is exhausting. But showing up as your true self? That’s freeing — and magnetic. People feel that. When I bring that openness and ease into a shoot, it creates space for something real to happen in front of the lens.”

A person is juggling three clubs in an arid, cracked desert landscape at sunset, casting a long shadow with mountains in the background. — Juggler in Las Vegas, Nevada.

A person in a winter coat carves an ice sculpture outdoors at sunset, surrounded by snow-covered trees and other ice blocks, with tools and equipment scattered on the snowy ground. — Ice sculptor in Fairbanks, Alaska.

A chef in a white uniform smiles while cooking in a commercial kitchen, holding a towel and plate. Flames rise from a pan on the stove, and pots and utensils are visible around the kitchen. — Chef in Boston, Massachusetts.

A man with a beard and short hair sits at a wooden table outdoors, reaching toward the camera. The photo is in black and white, with a blurred natural background. — Photographer Brian Doben.

Doben says that he tries to have fun at work and photography is something he loves to do. But he acknowledges that while there are plenty of people who love their work, for others it is more of a necessity.

“Life is expensive. Survival often takes precedence over passion. For some, the risk of chasing a dream is simply too great—and I respect that completely,” he says.

“Still, I believe that no matter what you do — whether it’s your dream job or not — there’s value in finding the beauty, finding the joy. Attitude matters.”

A man uses a vacuum cleaner to clean the ear of a large elephant in a grassy area, with another elephant partly visible. The book cover text reads "At Work" and "Brian Doben. — A taxidermist working at the Natural History Museum in Los Angeles graces the front cover of *At Work* by Brian Doben.

Doben recalls meeting a coal miner in West Virginia who casually told him that he has been “buried alive seven times.” However, the coal miner told Doben that he “loves what he does” and sees putting food on the table for his family as his duty.

“Doing what you love doesn’t make the work easier. But it gives you something worth fighting for,” adds Doben. “Love the fight, honor the work, and show up with your whole heart.”

At Work is published by Trope Publishing. More of Doben’s work can be found on his website.

Image credits: Photographs by Brian Doben.