Using Corona for a new Perspective
How to do a distributed photoshoot during the travel restrictions
A few weeks ago my family and I watched the new documentary about British land artist Andy Goldsworthy Leaning into the Wind. In one performance, which also appears in the opening sequence of the trailer below, Goldsworthy, instead of walking along the road, crawls through the hedge that flanks the road. He is moving more or less through the same space, but the experience is very different.
This is how I felt last week, when I was doing a photo shoot for my new website. I wanted new photos and portraits of myself and with Corona locking us down, developed the idea to organise a remote photo shoot. I had worked with London-based photographer Phil Engelhardt and stylist Almut Vogel last year, when we had all met in Berlin and asked if they would be interested in experimenting with a “distributed” format.
When we got together, Almut (with baby Flora) and I were in my office in Berlin, while Phil joined us from his flat in London. Remotely and using FaceTime and Zoom, Screengrabs and Phils professional camera we explored different settings and poses.
We had a lot of fun and the process was much more collaborative and co-creative than a regular photo shoot. Instead of simply taking on different poses, I had to hold different devices in various angles — at one point, for example, we placed “the camera lens” (in form of an iPad) in a draining rack. Or Almut held up differently colored cardboards as a background.
Thus, while not quite as exotic and interesting as “walking the hedge”, I hugely enjoyed taking the current limitations to create a new experience for myself and maybe also the viewers of the resulting photos. With the social media icons and selfie ascetic, they they don’t hide their production process, but occupy an interesting hybrid space between analog and digital.
For many people, corona comes with a lot of disruption, pain and uncertainty. At the same time, I am excited by the potential to change our stale routines, explore alternatives to our often destructive/ exploitative habits and try out new paths. A remote photoshoot is a very small deviation, but for me it introduced more “oxygen”, creativity and fun.
Above are a few “making off” shots. Below are two of the final photos.
For some more final photos, check the about me section on my website.
