Behind the Scenes: Shooting the Moody Pandora's Box Photo

The Idea

I recently worked on a shoot for a concept that’s been on my mind for a while. Pandora's Box with a twist. Instead of a traditional box, I used a computer. The idea is that the computer, or AI, is the new "Pandora's Box." It’s this powerful, unpredictable force that could change everything, but we don’t really know what we’ll find when we open it.

What’s inside? Is artificial intelligence the end of photography as we know it?

The Setup

I shot with my FUJIFILM GFX 100, which is perfect for this kind of work. The details are stunning, and the color reproduction is spot-on. The medium format sensor gives a depth that’s hard to get with smaller cameras, making it ideal for creating the moody, high-contrast look I was going for.

Camera positioning

Tethering screen capture

Mirror, mirror, on the wall…

Behind the Scenes

As usual, things didn’t come together immediately. It took some time to figure out the right lighting ratios, get the lighting in the right spots, and help the model find the right expression.

The key thing for me in this shoot was to get the right mood across. The computer isn’t just a prop; it represents this unknown, almost godly force— The AI.

I wanted to show that in the way the model interacted with it, with a mix of curiosity and caution. The shot needed to feel like you’re on the edge of something big, but you don’t really know whether it’s going to be something good or something dangerous. It had to be tense.

The Schwentner house

The Final Shot

Once we got everything dialed in, the shot came together nicely. The model’s expression was exactly what I had in mind—curiosity, mixed with a little hesitation. It was perfect for showing the tension that comes with opening up something as powerful and unpredictable as AI.

The final result turned out just like I envisioned. It’s dark, it’s mysterious, and it leaves you with questions: What’s really inside this new "Pandora's Box"?


Model: Lucija Prijatelj

Assistant: Boris Revo

Costume: VIBA FILM

Location: Schwentner house, Vransko

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