CHARLOTTE SCHOLEY

Photography has become my second nature, it is my second language and form of communication. In times of distress or confusion, I have created through photography and it has enabled me to be able to deal with my emotions better. It has also led me to discover the positive benefits it has on those who are my models. Expressing yourself through photography can be so confidence building. Photography has allowed me to help people feel more confident and empowered. In photography the outcomes are endless. No picture will ever be the same as another. It fascinates me that two photographs can tell a totally different story even if they are only a split second apart. Just like any other art form, photography will be interpreted differently from one person to another, depending on personal experiences.

I started Facetime Photoshoots after facing the pressures of Lockdown as a creative. As a photographer I was unable to photograph my models in person. I was heartbroken, as I usually run a portrait based personal project every summer. This year I wanted to photograph individuals who wouldn't usually be photographed. People who have "normal jobs" and who aren't models. Luckily, Facetime photoshoots enabled me to do just that, but on a larger scale. My model's and I would usually discuss a look and outfit before the shoot, however I would usually ask them to wear something that they would never usually wear in their living room ... a ball gown for example! We would start our phone call with a quick house tour where I would take a mental note about where would be perfect as a backdrop. I would then ask my model to place me in very specific positions and find a way to keep me placed there. Following this we would run the shoot just like we would in person, I would direct my model over facetime, testing out different poses and angles as we went. There was a lot of spontaneity involved and a lot of creative thinking on the spot.  Shooting through FaceTime has enabled me to photograph people I would never have been able to have photographed normally. It also allowed me to travel to at least three countries a day! FaceTime closed the distance between us and didn't require either of us to even leave our bedrooms if we didn't want to! I was also very lucky to photograph a few people who I would only have dreamed of being able to work with. It has been incredible.