We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Meital Dor. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Meital below.

Meital, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Can you talk to us about a project that’s meant a lot to you?

I believe that my most meaningful project has taken shape here in Dallas, over the past two years.
Before relocating to Texas, I was engaged in complex and significant documentary work:
A three-year-old Palestinian toddler whose family I accompanied during his final weeks, as they faced the painful reality of his battle with neuroblastoma; a teenager with a rare condition who had been ventilated his entire life and died at the age of fifteen; and a period of time spent in a locked ward of a mental health hospital, where I documented the caregiving staff and their compassionate, human daily routine.

But it was here, far from home, that I found myself looking directly into the eyes of dementia, a terminal condition, yet unbound by time.

At a time when I was struggling to find my place, I decided to volunteer, to reach out to someone else. A call for volunteers, posted by a local hospice, led me to an assisted living facility for people facing various forms of dementia.
I began by accompanying a solitary woman, and through her, I met others who shared her fate. After she passed away, I was told about a couple who needed a bit of help, a husband caring for his wife at home.

That’s how I met Randy and Lorraine.

Randy had promised to keep cooking for his “forever girl” the Cajun dish she loved, until the very end. They had prepared themselves for this chapter, spiritually and mentally, and approached it with serene acceptance.
When I first arrived at their humble house, Randy opened the door and said with a smile, “Welcome to Casa da Alegria.” Since then, for more than a year now, I’ve been documenting the changes Lorraine has been going through, bearing witness to moments of tenderness, vulnerability, and deep, wordless gratitude.

Latisha, Lorraine’s nurse assistant, brings joy to their home, she tends to Lorraine with gentle care, a soft voice, and patient loving hands. The connection between them revealed to me, week after week, the depth of compassion and the unspoken bond of companionship. It reminded me, again and again, to quietly honor the unknown with humility.

During this time, I also came to know their loving Brazilian neighbor, Fernanda, who sings and prays by Lorraine’s bedside. She often looks after Randy too, and sometimes I sense that she sees traces of her own mother in Lorraine’s face, a quiet echo of love and longing, as she, too, is far from home.

Every week, Randy brings fresh, fragrant flowers to place by Lorraine’s bed. He feeds her, keeps her hydrated, and makes sure she is always protected, cherished, and surrounded by kind-hearted people. They became one 48 years ago, and his total devotion is a quiet, unwavering testament of the vow they once made, to love and care for one another, for better or worse.

Documenting Lorraine’s final stages has felt like an unexpected gift from Randy, who had seen my photographic work and trusted I was meant to be there. He understood that as I walked beside them through this intimate and painful journey, they were also walking beside me, helping me to remember my purpose, not just to know it, but to truly feel it.

Sometimes it seems I had to leave my homeland, travel all the way to Dallas, and meet Dementia — in order to remember who I really am.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

As a documentary photographer with a diverse background in interior architecture, systems analysis, and software testing, I bring a unique perspective that blends structure, sensitivity, and deep human insight. Over the years, I’ve developed a strong passion for getting to know people on a deeper level and for creating spaces where real conversations, meaningful connections, and shared insights can emerge. I accompany individuals through creative and personal processes, mostly through photography, and at times through honest, observant, heart-centered dialogue.

In both my photography and my approach to life, I feel a deep urge to present truth as I see it to the world. I strive to understand the essence of the person in front of me while exploring broader personal and social themes.
The delicate stories I encounter and capture not only illuminate the lives of others but also offer insights into my own journey as a human being and a creator.

Beyond my long-term documentary projects, I offer intimate portrait sessions and creative mentorships for artists and individuals in transition, people caring for loved ones, seeking clarity, navigating emotionally charged crossroads, or simply longing to be seen. I believe that every moment in life, from milestones like weddings and births to significant birthdays and even moments of loss, invites us to appreciate and honor the beauty of life’s changes and the human experience in its most genuine form.

What sets my work apart is the space I create: attentive, honest, and emotionally grounded. I don’t come with an agenda. I come to witness, to listen, and to hold space for people to feel and see the beauty and strength already within them, expressed through their own unique stories.

My work has won international competitions, been exhibited worldwide, and featured in international and local photography publications, showcasing my commitment to sharing meaningful and authentic human narratives.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

The most rewarding moments are those of recognition, when someone I photograph sees themselves in a new light, often with a sense of softness, grace, or strength that they hadn’t fully recognized before.
There’s a quiet kind of magic in creating something that gives form to emotions or experiences that are hard to express in words, and I feel deeply honored to be invited into people’s lives and to offer them back a reflection that feels honest, tender, and genuine.
These moments of shared truth and authenticity, even if fleeting, are what keep me going.

Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can provide some insight – you never know who might benefit from the enlightenment.

Yes. I think sometimes people struggle to understand that my creative process doesn’t follow a linear or predictable path. It’s often slow, silent, and invisible from the outside. There are long periods of waiting, doubting, sensing, writing, or simply living, and all of these are part of the work, even when they don’t look like “productivity.”

It’s also a deeply personal journey that doesn’t always align with conventional measures of success. For some creators, and certainly for me, the inner compass guiding a creative life is attuned to meaning more than momentum, and to presence more than performance.

Only with time and distance, I came to realize that it was only after leaving my homeland, and being given the chance to rebuild both my life and my creative path, that I was finally able to fully embrace these insights, and I’m feeling very grateful for that opportunity.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.meitaldor.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/meital_dor
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/meital.m.dor
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/meital-dor-7672bbb9

Image Credits

Portrait of me was taken by my daughter: Naomi Dor

Images 1–8: Captured by me