personal project
still life photography

This personal project is a reflection on stress and the impact it has had on my life, especially during the past few years, marked by periods of creative burnout. Inspired by a moment in my kitchen while sealing meal preps in sous-vide bags, I imagined how liberating it would be if I could simply "vacuum-pack" my stress and seal it away. That moment of clarity gave birth to this series.

Using polarized light and plastic materials, I sought to visually capture the tension within these bags, each containing an item symbolizing a source of stress in my life. The colors and patterns that emerged in the plastic under pressure represent both the intensity and beauty of stress. In the process, this project became a form of therapy, allowing me to confront and control the factors that fuel my stress.

This series serves as a reminder that, like the stress marks on the plastic, stress can be channeled in productive ways. It adds texture to our lives, and under the right conditions, even contributes to our growth. The controlled environment of these images symbolizes how we can, to some extent, manage stress and appreciate its role in pushing us forward.

Photography, set design, retouching: Quentin Décaillet