Desolate Environments

Perfect Darkness is an ongoing series by Portuguese cinematographer and photographer Henri Prestes (b. 1989), shot in secluded and isolated villages surrounded by dense fog, heavy rain and snow. The collection highlights moments of melancholy; deep black and aquamarine palettes cut across the compositions, with small glimpses of humanity emerging from the corners. Large shadows take precedence in the viewer’s eyeline; tree trunks, hooded porches and empty roads are set within unfolding stories. Audiences become part of short, filmic instances, invited to fill the gaps inbetween. What remains are eerie vignettes that frame the everyday with a veil of tension. Prestes’ images communicate a wider feeling of desolation and anticipation. Hazy skies, obscured floodlights and ominous doorways lure onlookers into a psychological playground, waiting for what comes next. www.henriprestesp.com