You know the saying, “if you want something done right, you have to do it yourself”? That’s exactly the spirit of photographer Mert Alas’s latest “art game”, which invites his followers to push themselves as artists, photographers, and models — all at the same time. But you won’t be totally without guidance.
“I’m going to creative direct your photo!” announced Mert Alas in an Instagram post near the end of last month, saying that he would be providing ideas for setting, styling, and mood as a part of his photography challenge, “Let’s Art”.
Mert is best known as one half of Mert and Marcus, the inimitable photography duo who have made iconic, hyperreal imagery for everyone in the business. So if you’ve been searching for a teacher, look no further. “I will pick the photos I like and work on them like they are my own,” said Mert, offering to edit the images himself, and stating that he would use his Instagram as a gallery to display the work.
To get the ball rolling, Mert suggested his followers think up a character for themselves, perhaps a Greek god or a figure in a surreal painting, and put together a dreamy setting featuring things like flowers, white sheets, or mood lighting. Feeling inspired yet?
Already completing phase one of the initiative, Mert enjoyed the process so much he’s now calling for a second wave of submissions. “I wanted to inspire people for a little moment, take them away from the dark side,“ Mert told i-D via email.
If you do find yourself with some spare time during lockdown, it’s certainly worth considering over another Brooklyn Nine-Nine rewatch.