Rala Choi’s Saturated Portraits

Shooting entirely in analog, the South Korean photographer’s images resemble portrait paintings rather than photographs. Combining striking reds and purples with silky creams and soft greys, Choi balances colors in such a way that they appear as if painted with oil.

Time and time again Choi returns to the naked female body as his preferred subject, threaded amongst shots of couples and suited men. His subjects never face the camera, creating an air of mystery and obscurity around them. This also allows the viewers’ mind to wander and to consider aspects which they may not have thought about before, such as how the room gives meaning to the image, or what lies in the air between two women.