TELEPORTRAITS

"Teleportraits" is a concept that emerged during quarantine, as a reaction to the sense of alienation we experienced along with the dominance of digital communication. I attempted to relive the experience and the relationship between photographer and subject through digital screens. The images were taken from a distance, by photographing the computer screen during teleconferencing and by guiding the subjects in terms of posture, expression and lighting. Lighting control played a critical role! With the use of basic light sources (flashlights, mobile screens, small desk lamps) placed near the faces, the necessary contrast was given, which produced the black background of the images. Communication during teleconferencing, brought to mind the previous conditions we were familiar with and so longed for. The primary objective in "Teleportraits" was the active participation of the model, so as to capture the atmosphere during the photo shoot. During the shooting I experimented with some personal favorite techniques (slow shutter speed, zoom in, camera shake, double exposure). The combination of screen errors with the above mentioned techniques produced an impressive result. The final step was editing: conversion to black and white, brightness/contrast correction, squaring of the frame and addition of grain.