There’s a common thread among many people who come here: the feeling that they haven’t yet fully seen themselves.
This project stems from the idea that personal image is often limited to what is already known and repeated. Over time, each person builds a habitual way of presenting themselves, which can reduce the space to explore other possibilities of appearance, expression, and presence.
The proposal here is precisely to move beyond that place.
The project
“Who You Are When No One Is Watching” is an original photographic study whose goal is to reveal and emphasize qualities present in each person’s appearance and personality, based on an external and directed reading.
The proposal stems from how I perceive each individual, seeking to identify and visually translate what stands out: physical traits, expressions, presence, and personality aspects that, combined, construct a coherent and expressive image.
The images are developed with the intention of highlighting these elements, organizing them within a unique aesthetic language, and not to reproduce the self-image that the person already has of themselves.
The result is not an idealized version, nor an adaptation to the participant’s perspective. It is an interpretation that can shift, expand, and, in many cases, reveal an unexpected familiarity with what was not previously fully perceived.
Full Direction
The direction is entirely mine.
All decisions – concept, aesthetics, styling/wardrobe, including the possibility of minimal or no clothing, composition, direction during the session, and final curation – are defined by me throughout the process.
The participant does not guide the outcome nor interfere with creative choices. They enter within a pre-structured proposal, trusting the direction and the development conducted from start to finish.
The experience
The session takes place as a fully directed experience from beginning to end.
This requires a genuine level of commitment: accepting to be guided, following instructions, and sustaining the process even when it moves away from one’s usual references.
The proposal involves exploring new image possibilities, stepping outside the familiar, and allowing different aspects of personal presence to emerge in front of the camera. At times, there may be discomfort or unfamiliarity. This is not a side effect – it is part of the process. It is at this point that the image shifts away from the predictable and begins to reveal something new.
Participation implies going through this path consistently, allowing the experience to unfold without interruptions driven by immediate reactions.
What is built
The result does not follow the logic of self-image nor is it limited to what the person already recognizes in themselves.
The proposal is to explore, experiment, and construct images from an external perspective that seeks to identify and highlight what makes each person singular – both in terms of appearance and in terms of presence and personality.
Throughout the process, the direction leads away from habitual references, allowing the image to organize itself in a less predictable way and to remain open to discovery. In many cases, this reveals aspects that were already present but not clearly perceived or valued.
The objective is to make visible what already exists and stands out, organizing these elements within an aesthetic language that invites a new reading of oneself.
Each set of images emerges from this investigation and is treated as a body of work.
The process
The workflow follows a defined structure:
- conception of the aesthetic proposal
- wardrobe selection carried out by me, aligned with the proposal and the participant’s body
- fittings and adjustments of pieces
- coordination of hair, makeup, and other production elements with partner professionals
- full direction during the session
- selection and editing of images
- final delivery as fine art prints
Exclusivity and participation
This is not a conventional photoshoot.
It is a directed authorial project, where participation implies a real commitment to the proposed experience — including the willingness to relinquish creative control and allow oneself to be guided throughout the entire process.
Participation is similar to taking on a day as a model under direction: the person does not decide what will be done at the moment of execution, nor adapt the proposal to immediate personal comfort. They enter the process committed to following instructions, sustaining the proposal, and moving through any moments of discomfort without interrupting the construction.
This level of engagement is an essential part of the outcome. At certain moments, there may be surprise, unfamiliarity, or tension – and it is precisely in these situations that the image moves away from the predictable and begins to reveal something new.
The decision to participate should therefore come from a concrete willingness to experience the process as it is conducted, with all the elements it entails.
Each session is developed as an individual production, involving art direction, wardrobe selection and/or development, production coordination (hair, makeup, and team when applicable), as well as studio time, location, and full execution of the work.
Due to this level of complexity and customization, it is an authorial production entirely dedicated to each participant, conducted on an exclusive and individual basis.
The opportunity to be part of this work is limited and handled individually. Participation occurs through commissioning. This is not a casting, model selection, or collaboration.
Images and usage
The images are part of an authorial body of work.
Photographs in which the face is not visible may be selected to be included in the project as artworks, used in portfolios, exhibitions, and also made available in limited editions for acquisition.
The use of images showing the face is limited to the selected images delivered to the participant. Any additional use of such images that I may pursue occurs only with specific prior authorization.
How to participate
If there is interest in joining this project, initial contact should be made via email with a brief personal introduction.
Include:
- a concise description of who you are
- the reason this work caught your attention
- how you relate to experiences in which creative direction is fully led by another person
- your level of commitment to the process
- your availability to participate in a process that may involve travel and flexible scheduling
- city and country of residence
- an indication of a budget range compatible with authorial productions of this type
Responses are evaluated individually, considering conceptual alignment, commitment, and suitability for the format of the project.
If there is compatibility, the next steps are defined directly and on a personalized basis.
Nycka Nunes
