Take Me Away – Self-Portrait Project. Imitating Nature at Home using just Props and Light

June 29, 2020

It’s been years, since I shot self-portraits. It was something I started with when I started photography, but as my work progressed photographing models became my primary focus.

However, Covid-19 and lockdown has put many photographers, in circumstances of either trying self-portraits or attempting virtual shoots to be able to stay in touch with our craft.

I opted for self-portraits this time as I felt it can be good opportunity to get in touch with my own self, explore the other side of the camera as well as challenge myself.

In search of inspiration, I also turned within. I wanted to photograph something that will make me feel at peace and, possibly transcend it to the viewers as well.

Observing nature has always been my favourite way of unwinding and getting inspired.

But in lockdown, it became an additional challenge. The windows from my apartment have a limited view. It is one big tree, a piece of the sky and that’s about it. Yet, missing nature led me to focus more attention on even such small piece of it. I used to spend time just watching the tree, birds and squirrels that made it their home and the light that was an occasional visitor.

This observation led me to notice one more element in my surrounding that caught my eye. Bamboo grid that surrounded our building as a part of renovation that started but had to be paused due to lockdown.

I always loved bamboo. Especially in a natural setting.
There is something so beautifully raw and at the same time endearing in its texture and the way it behaves in the light.
How it contrasts the green trees and the blue sky.
I felt like I can watch it forever – how shadow of leaves plays on bamboo shoots.
Now, paying more attention to it, I could actually see the most fascinating shadow play on bamboo right outside my window.
It brought me peace and calmness, feeling like I am resting in a forest near the water stream with blue sky popping from dense greenery.
This was a feeling that became my inspiration for a shoot.
I was so excited and determined- I asked our watchman if I can borrow the leftover bamboo shoots that were kept below the building.
Wearing full gear I dragged them up by stairs, treated them with sanitizer all over and made a set.

This first bamboo set later turned into an idea of making a full-fledged series, focusing on more sets and “locations”.

“Take me away” self-portrait project shot entirely at home all by myself.
In these series I was traveling through photos to my most favourite places in the world and recreating the emotions it gives me – Bamboo Forest, Sunset at Sea, Hidden Lake and a Blooming Garden. Each is personally important to me and has some of the best memories and moments of my life attached to it.

Project is shot at home and all the sets and effects (including underwater) have been made by me from what I had in and around my house.
MUA, styling, hair was also done by me.
In these times I miss being in nature the most. It used to always be my biggest love, my stressbuster and my inspiration. So working on these series felt like being transported to my favourite places just for a bit.
I hope it can bring a little comfort for all those who just like me miss being in nature.

In each of these shots I compensated for lack of quantity by playing with placement of my props and framing. Adding branches close to my lens provided additional depth.

Using primarily, continuous light from my strobes I warmed it with yellow gel to imitate the sunlight.

In some shots I kept few branches in front of the strobe to cast natural-looking shadows over the set and myself.

I kept my ISO around 400 to have some ambient light in my frame as well.

Below are some of the images together with behind the scenes of the sets made.

What I used for this shot:
Bamboo pieces that I took from construction below our house. Building is renovated, so they put bamboo all over it. I borrowed a few.
Dry bamboo leaves- again, below the building.

Paper cut out to simulate the frame

What I used for this shot:
Bamboo pieces
Dry bamboo leaves

Paper circle cutout suspended on transparent lace

What I used for this shot:

Reflective sheets for water effect – I made a cutout inside the sheet, just enough to place myself inside it.

Green branches for background

Dry branches in front of the strobe for the shadows

What I used for this shot:

Black textile

Glass with tape around it that i filled with thin layer of water

Flowers and leaves that i put in that water

Green branches

For this image I needed a transparent large vessel that can hold water, which when kept above me will cast ripple-pattern over me, creating the underwater effect. Unfortunately, I did not have the vessel, only a piece of glass.

So, I added scotch tape around the glass, making borders for the water not to spill, using extra layers for it not to sip through.

Of course, it wasn’t enough, so I ended up soaking wet after the shots, but it was totally worth it.

Black textile underneath me, was placed purposefully in a haphazard manner to look like waves and providing depth due to its color.

Glass piece with water was kept above me and the strobe was right above the glass.

Of course, I had to keep the tripod with camera high up as well to make the shots wider. And the camera- close to the glass for taped borders not to show.

What I used for this shot:

Reflective sheets for water effect – I made a cutout inside the sheet, just enough to place myself inside it.

I used gels to add color to my light.

And the bounce of light from reflective sheet provided a sunset-cloud look.

What I used for this shot:

Reflective sheets to bounce the light – I wanted to give an effect of a softer light that is appearing close to magic hour. So instead of using direct one, I bounced it off reflective sheet, which created a natural effect

Flowers placed in front of lens creating depth

Green branches

Dry branches for the shadows

Dry insects