FaceTime Photography in the Times of Coronavirus

Artists are in lockdown, just like the rest of the world, but art isn’t. Since quarantine has become a new reality, Photographers from all over the globe have embraced this hindrance as a new form of art.

Instagram is swamped with the new trend of virtual photography where artists use mediums like FaceTime, Zoom Call, Skype and other video call options to conduct photo shoots. The extended lockdown periods have constrained mobility and many photographers faced troubles due to cancelled shoots and projects. But you know what people do when life gives you lemons, right? These Artists refused to bow down to the adversity and their virtual photo shoots aim to bring humans closer through cross-sector collaborations. History says we are what we do when times are tough.

To bring joy and humanity closer together, albeit through a virtual lens, photographers are bringing raw and real images from across the borders. All thanks to technology and the internet, let’s have a look at the prolific artistic spread!

Kat Irlin

Kat is a New York-based photographer, whose work has been featured in various international publications such as  Vogue, Harper Bazaar, Vanity Fair, etc. She took on FaceTime to conduct photos hoots because boss ladies do not bow down to any adversity. Her FaceTime photos are a delight to behold. The portraits and frames intricately capture the muse and human relationships.

Marta Rybicka

Marta is a Self-taught documentary photographer based in Warsaw, Poland. The product of her virtual photo shoots are simply heartwarming. I have lost count of how many times I ooh-ed and aah-ed whilst going through her IG Feed.

Alessio Albi

Alessio is an Artist based in Italy. The ace photographer believes that there are “No barriers to creativity”. Her trip to NYC got cancelled due to the pandemic but she made the best of that unfortunate situation by doing a photo shoot via FaceTime. I can almost hear the hustle and bustle of busy New York streets through her pictures.

Prashun Prashanth Sridhar

A lifestyle and fashion photographer based in Chennai, Prashun, has found a perfect way to tackle quarantine through art. He says that as a creator he always tries to push the envelope and FaceTime photography helped him discover something new.

“I love these pictures. They have soul. I’m a person who runs behind details, But these pictures have life of its kind,” expresses the passionate photographer. He is currently collaborating with people beyond borders and countries through this passion project.

Aishwarya Chopra

A Journalism Intern, Aishwarya says she got inspired to do a virtual photoshoot using Zoom Call by seeing artists on Instagram capturing beauty through a lens they did not have a physical control over. Talking about the limitation of a Zoom Call photo shoot, she says “I honestly never realised how much time it takes to set up . There’s a lot of ‘I can’t hear you’, ‘your audio isn’t working’ making you want to up your lip-reading and sign language skills.” 

Baring it all, Aishwarya further adds “Doing a photoshoot virtually is basically a lot of ‘move left’ followed by the model moving right. It takes more effort and sometimes you do feel the limitation holds you back but in the end it does show you that art truly has no barrier.”

Her favourite part of the photoshoots is all in the process, the “conjured humour” and “the attempt of failing to create.” She aims to capture the passing by life in sheer human existence.

Time and again art has provided people with a much needed escape from the stark realities of life. Even during this pandemic of novel Coronavirus, people have found solace and connection beyond borders and boundaries through art.

After all, storm ruins, tides turn, but art prevails.