Sometimes, even the most difficult situations can lead to something wonderful. Photographer Elizaveta Porodhina and Liane Radel of The Cut found themselves feeling down in the wake of COVID-19, but they simply refused to be defeated. The duo sought to create something that would inspire their audience, and thus, their digital cover story featuring Chloë Sevigny was born – all shot remotely. While there is no replacement for the physical, human connection between photographer and subject, Porodhina has found a way to turn an extraordinary lockdown situation into fuel for her creativity. We caught up with the artist to hear more about recent projects, and the logistics behind shooting remotely.
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How did the idea for this shoot come about, and how were you able to work through the creative concept remotely?
The idea for the shoot came to me and The Cut senior photo editor, Liane Radel. Shortly after the lockdown started happening all over the world, we started talking almost every day, discussing our fears and hopes, and how we cannot let ourselves and our wish for creativity be defeated by change of situation. We fantasized about the right protagonist for this type of shoot; someone who is an artist, who would be able to understand the components that are needed to make the images aesthetically pleasing and meaningful. Soon we came to the conclusion that Chloe is our heroine of the story – an all-around artist, muse, actress, and costume designer herself. As a team of four, including fashion director Rebecca Ramsey, we discussed the light, styling options, hair, make up and the general mood before the shoot.
What were some of the logistical challenges putting this together and executing this idea during this time? In what way was this project more challenging than traditional shoots? In what ways was this easier?
Obviously, shooting remotely, it all depends on the lighting, environment and internet connection on the side of the subject. These components were thoroughly discussed, prepared and thought out before the shoot – and we reacted spontaneously to light conditions or new ideas during the shoot as well. It could be challenging at times, especially in the beginning, to describe the exact movement that I envision to Chloe, but the moment you let go and start trusting your protagonist to feel the mood and to move intuitively, it becomes much easier. This type of shooting, when you are used to it, presents a big benefit. Potentially, one could conduct a remote shoot without traveling to the other side of the world.
