(The complete project can be seen on instagram @rear.view.window and/or under my personal work on my website.)
As lockdown hit the UK I was faced with the choice of becoming furloughed and putting all my efforts into the home schooling of my two boys, or I could try to find a way to continue my work as a portrait photographer. The latter seemed virtually impossible, yet I believed that being in a creative industry meant that I should at least try to come up with creative solutions. I wanted to be part of this historical event and find my own way creating something that helps capture the time we are living in. I decided that I wanted to create remote portraits of people from all over the world who find themselves in isolation. I have always had grand ideas of international projects where I get to travel from place to place to photograph people from all around the world. Yet, being a father of two young boys, these long term project seem impossible to undertake.
Instead of Covid19 becoming a hindrance, I embraced the opportunity to virtually travel around the world to photograph what is now over 150 people, isolated in their homes. In the beginning I was struggling with the imperfections of the images. Being used to high quality images with perfect sharpness, I found it hard to accept the imperfections of photographing people on screen. Images were a little soft, struggled with details in shadows and digital noise. It took me a little while to accept these imperfections that I have now learned to embrace and love. These imperfections have now become what I consider to be essential parts of the story. They help show the distance between us and the isolation and the digital world we rely on top keep in touch with each other. Lastly, the imperfections give the images a more painterly feel, that take the portraits into a world of more traditional portraiture. I have to admit that I have many times been in doubt about this project. I think that is often the case when I approach a project and new experimental techniques. Personal work for me is a chance to experiment with the medium of photography, but with that comes great doubt. Looking back on the work now I feel I have achieved something unique and with an aesthetic I am truly proud of.
I have in the last 4 months been in Samoa, Hawaii, Easter Island, Zimbabwe, Iraq, Russia and many, many more places.
I will continue this project if I am still contacted by people whom find themselves isolated due to Covid19, but if I am not, then I feel I have completed a body of work which is a part of a lot of creative work out there, that will document the historical event we are experiencing.
The work has got its own instagram page @rear.view.window - and I am looking for alternative avenues for this work to be shown.
Personal Project
