A photographic exploration of social alienation and discomfort

There are moments in life when we feel uncomfortable in the company of others—the sense of not quite fitting in, of being different, of social situations pushing us away rather than bringing us closer.

Awkward is an artistic photography project that seeks to give visual form to this universal yet hard-to-express experience.

Inspired by photographers such as Gregory Crewdson, Helmut Newton and Erwin Olaf, Awkward explores the tension between the ordinary and the uncanny.
Each work consists of a diptych: a narrative, staged on-location scene in which the main character finds herself in an absurd, uncomfortable situation, paired with a separate studio portrait that subtly reflects elements from the scene.

This contrast highlights the gap between how we experience the world and how the world sees us. The main character seems trapped in discomfort. It leads to apathy, to detachment, to loneliness in the midst of others. The intimacy of the portrait reveals the emotional layer hidden within the larger scene.

Using a blend of artificial and ambient light, the scenes are constructed like film stills, with a strong cinematic aesthetic. This approach enhances the sense of introspection: the viewer is invited to recognize themselves in the discomfort, the alienation, the silence.

Awkward consists of 48 scenes and 48 portraits. It is a project that invites to acknowledge our own moments of discomfort—and perhaps to find solace in them. Because this project is not just my story; it is also yours.