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Pizza Luca

To date, I’ve done 55 photo sessions for ‘Naked with Masks’.

12 years in the making and photos from more than 1/3 of these sessions weren't included in the project.

When I photographed Luca, we tried 2 different masks near Wapping in London. The photos came out pretty cool, but something didn’t feel 100% there.

A week later, we decided to try again. Luca, being an artistic Italian obsessed with Italian food, decided he wants to try to make a mask from a pizza cardboard box.

We went to the bank of River Thames near Wapping and gave it another try. It was a lovely hot sunny summer early afternoon.

The mask, a triangle cut and glued pizza box with red Bristol paper covering, ended up looking like a CGI model which felt unique. We were much happier with that image and decided to archive the previous shoot.

The final photograph that ended up as part of 'Naked with Masks' was photographed at the exact same spot, 20 minutes later. To our surprise, the rock on which Luca stands was almost entirely covered by water due to high tide. We managed to take the winning photograph seconds before it disappeared completely under the water.

July 29, 2014. Wapping, London, UK.

Creator

Ben Hopper

benhopper.eth

Ben Hopper is a portraitist and conceptual photographer whose projects centre on the human figure. Exploring shame, conflict and human transfiguration, his work gets to the heart of who we are beneath our masks – and why we wear them.

Properties

Rights

Extended Editorial

City

London

Country

United Kingdom

Year

2014

Sex

Man

Season

Summer

Month

July

Time of Day

Afternoon

Portrait type

Full body

Camera

Mamiya Leaf Credo 80

Lens

Schneider Kreuznach 55mm LS f/2.8

Artist

Ben Hopper

Edition

1/1

Dimensions

2630x3500

Filetype

JPG

License

Extended Editorial

Can be used to display privately, or in commercial and non-commercial settings, or in groups with an unlimited number of participants. The license includes unlimited use and display in virtual or physical galleries, documentaries, and essays by the NFT holder. Provides no rights to create commercial merchandise, commercial distribution, or derivative works.

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