Awhile back, I launched my intimacy portrait project which is a personal project I’ve been wanting to work on for a long time. I love photographing people just as they are. Because people are truly beautiful as they are. When I’m on the road creating environmental portraits of people I meet, I started noticing subtle differences in the overall strength of connection within the photo based on how I position their eyes.
Here’s a quick synopsis of the concept:
Oftentimes as travel photographers moving through a region, we have a few minutes, seconds even, to try to connect with strangers and create a portrait of them that tries to capture their spirit as best as we can. And this can be challenging.
When I take portraits of people, I always try to visually elevate them. Meaning, I either shoot at eye-level or from an inch or two below them so they’re looking downwards towards the camera.
This not only subconsciously puts them in an elevated position of power, it also lets the viewers see and connect to them as a person first. As they are. And not necessarily judge them based on their surroundings.
This has led me to this project – The Intimacy Project.
Over the course of the year, I’ll be photographing two portraits of friends as well as strangers and acquaintances to help communicate this intuitive feeling I see when I visually elevate people. The first would be at or close to eye-level and the second will be that downward glance. The downward glance could be slight or a bit more exaggerated but you should be able to see the difference in warmth and approachability which communicates intimacy and instant connection.
So I’ve finally found some space in central Stockholm which I’ll be renting for 2-3 hours every other month to work on this personal project and I will be having open studio calls.
Here are a few of the latest portraits in the series.
Can you tell which look in the photos – left or right – feels warmer and is a stronger connection? Please share your thoughts below.
You can learn more about the project here and see a ton more portraits in my gallery here.
To me the portraits on the right are all looking straight into the camera which to me creates a coolness. But the portraits on the right are slightly angled down creating more of a warm and mystery. It is interesting how everyone see’s things differently. : )
It really is interesting because the photos on the right are the ones I slightly angled down 🙂
Wow! That is so crazy and interesting. 🙂
To me it was all three pictures on the left side.
That’s interesting Monica. If you look at the photos on the right, for me as a portrait photographer, those looks in their eyes are more intimate. What do you think?