Try purple without blue

 

In this series I explored the dividing line between documentary and staged photography, trying to visualize the intriguing grey area that exists between these two forms. The photos spring from a mix of questions: are images true reflections of our lives? Does our habit of documenting shape our perception of life? And how does our constant immersion in images affect our grasp on reality?

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In this period I began to experiment with staged photography, inviting friends, fellow students and family to pose under external artificial light. I wanted the models to be very natural in my photos: embracing their authenticity, not afraid of themselves. Notably, this experimentation extended to real-life scenes, blurring the lines between documentary and staged photography. When does it cease to be documentary, especially when enacted in the midst of a genuine event?

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I also started with initiating small interventions in my daily life, seizing spontaneous moments to photograph individuals in their unscripted states. The act of approaching people around me suddenly, asking them to pose without prior preparation, created a unique dynamic where the captured moments hovered on the threshold between documentary and staged photography. This approach added another layer to the series, reflecting on the interplay between genuine, unposed moments and deliberately crafted compositions. It became a tangible manifestation of the overarching theme, where the boundary between reality and artistry is purposefully obscured

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Ultimately, I entangled these diverse visuals together to weave a personal tale of unrequited love. The intentional staging of ourselves: trying to impress our beloved ones seamlessly aligns with the deliberate character found in certain photographs. The act of waiting, both in the creation of these images and in the emotional nuances they convey, resonates with Roland Barthes' words. 

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“Am I in love? --yes, since I am waiting. The other one never waits. Sometimes I want to play the part of the one who doesn't wait; I try to busy myself elsewhere, to arrive late; but I always lose at this game. Whatever I do, I find myself there, with nothing to do, punctual, even ahead of time. The lover's fatal identity is precisely this: I am the one who waits.” 

- Roland Barthes

 

This series materialized in an equally named book, published in the spring of 2017.

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