Conceptual & Experimental Self-Portraiture · sabinefey
Self-Portrait Photographer & Visual Artist
I’m Sabine Fischer, a self-portrait photographer and visual artist working under the name sabinefey. My work combines experimental photography with light, color, reflections, projections and different materials to create surreal, abstract and cinematic self-portraits.
About Self-Portrait Artist sabinefey
I’m Sabine Fischer, a photographer and visual artist from Germany, working under the artist name sabinefey. I have been creating self-portraits for over 20 years and gradually developing a more experimental approach to light, color and visual effects.
My background in photography and graphic design strongly influences the way I create images. I plan and photograph every self-portrait myself and often develop an idea through experimentation rather than starting with a finished concept. I test different lighting setups, materials, camera techniques and perspectives until I find the visual direction that works for the image.
Over the years I have worked with projectors, LED lights, smoke and wind machines, blacklight, body paint, mirrors, prisms, glass, water and textured surfaces. I’m especially interested in effects that can be created physically in front of the camera. Post-production and color grading then become another part of the creative process.
The result ranges from colorful and surreal portraits to dark, abstract black-and-white work. Across these different series, I keep returning to light, color, distortion, movement and the human figure as ways to experiment with how a photograph can look and feel.
How I Create My Self-Portraits: Light, Tools & Techniques
Light is one of the most important elements in my self-portrait photography. I work with strong contrasts, colored light, silhouettes, reflections, projections and different surfaces to change how the face and body appear in front of the camera.
Many of my images are created through practical experimentation. I test how light reacts to glass, water, mirrors, prisms, smoke or textured materials and often combine several techniques in one setup. Some effects are carefully planned beforehand, while others develop during the shoot through trial and error.
Equipment / tools:
I photograph my self-portraits with a Nikon D850 and Nikon D750, mainly using Sigma 50mm and 35mm f/1.4 DG HSM Art lenses.
Depending on the concept, I work with different light sources and tools, including Nanlite PavoTubes, Yongnuo LED lights, spotlights, projectors, daylight softboxes, blacklight and fiber optic lamps.
Behind the Scenes of My Self-Portrait Photography
These behind-the-scenes videos show how my self-portraits are created, from lighting setups and camera experiments to practical effects, movement and short video pieces.
They document different parts of my creative process: setting up light, working with projections and materials, testing visual effects and experimenting in front of the camera. Each compilation contains a series of short clips from different shoots and projects.
I also edit many of these behind-the-scenes clips as small visual pieces of their own, combining them with music and details from the finished photographs.
I regularly share new experiments, work in progress and behind-the-scenes material on Instagram under @sabinefey.
Portfolio
Selected Self-Portrait Works: A selection of experimental self-portrait photography created over the past years, ranging from colorful light experiments and surreal imagery to abstract black-and-white work.
blog pieces
Self-Portrait Photography as an Artistic Practice
For me, self-portrait photography is a space for experimentation. Working with myself as both photographer and subject gives me the freedom to test ideas, repeat setups and change direction during a shoot without having to explain or simplify the process for someone else.
The images are usually built step by step. Light, pose, camera position, materials and timing change until the composition works. Some photographs begin with a clear visual idea, while others develop through experimentation in front of the camera.
This way of working has shaped my artistic practice for more than 20 years and allows me to explore photography freely, from controlled studio setups to unpredictable effects created with light, movement and different surfaces.
Why I Work With Self-Portraits
Working with myself in front of the camera gives me an unusual amount of creative control. I can repeat a movement, change the light, test an idea for an hour or abandon it completely without interrupting another person’s experience of the shoot.
At the same time, being both photographer and subject creates its own challenge. I cannot see the image while I am inside it. Pose, expression, position and timing often have to be tested repeatedly before everything comes together. That combination of control and uncertainty is one of the things I find most interesting about self-portrait photography.
Experimentation as Part of the Process
Experimentation is an essential part of my process. I often begin with a material, a lighting idea or a visual effect and explore what happens when it interacts with the camera. Reflections shift, projections distort, surfaces react differently to light and movement creates results that are difficult to predict completely.
I usually photograph many variations before finding the frame that works. Some experiments lead to a finished series, others remain tests and occasionally an unexpected result becomes the starting point for something entirely new.
Sabine Fischer / sabinefey
Discover new self portrait photography projects, behind-the-scenes insights, and visual experiments. Selected works are available as limited edition fine art prints. For collaborations, exhibitions, interviews, or creative exchange, feel free to get in touch: hello@phoenixstudios.de