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

color portrait photo of Inle Lake fishermen, Burma, by Barry Crosthwaite
© Barry Crosthwaite
2025 Open Call AWARD

Win $2700 Cash Awards & International Exposure

Your choice: street, travel, fine art, landscape, documentary, portrait, and more. In October, we invite photographers of all ages, backgrounds, and experiences to unleash their creativity and share their best images!⁠

 

  • Win $2700 in Cash Prizes
  • International Exhibition
  • +930k Instagram Feature
  • Free Online Portfolio

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