Absence Portraits A photography project by Lissa Rivera

Absence Portraits is a project by New York-based photographer Lissa Rivera:

Found photographs have intrinsic qualities that shape our perceptions of an image and inform our
understanding of its time, place, and socioeconomic circumstances. By digitally removing the
person from old cabinet card portraits, Rivera reveals an artificial environment created by the
photographer to heighten the perception of the subject. Bereft of the individual, only a stage
remains. The tension between presence and absence is heightened by the placement of objects
that were meant to compliment the body of a person no longer there. The stage that we see is a
perfect tableaux of projected desires and fantasies. In an attempt to transcend class and location
during a time when photography was mostly restricted to the studio, a virtual environment is
created which eerily resonates with our digital age.

Call for entries

black and white street photo of man being shaved on the street in China by Jian Wang
© Jian Wang
2025 Street Photography AWARD

Win $2700 Cash Awards & International Exposure

This September, we’re challenging you to capture powerful and inspiring urban stories. Acclaimed Magnum photographer Bruce Gilden will be judging the entries, and we’re excited to see your most compelling images.

 

  • Win $2700 in Cash Prizes
  • International Exhibition
  • +920k Instagram Feature
  • Free Online Portfolio

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