Four Amazing Contemporary Portrait Series

By All That's Interesting | Edited By Savannah Cox

Published June 6, 2013

Updated January 16, 2018

Contemporary Portrait Series: Boy with Muscular Dystrophy

While Slovenia photographer Matej Peljhan only features one subject in his series of photographs, The Little Prince is one of the most moving portrait series to date. The photographs center on 12-year-old Luka who suffers from muscular dystrophy. This series creates an imaginary world full of movement and hope based on Luka’s greatest dreams.

Source: Khaleej-esque

Source: Khaleej-esque

Because of his muscular dystrophy, Luka is unable to complete many daily tasks including walking, running, or even getting dressed in the morning. Luckily, he is able to use his fingers, so he can maneuver around in a motorized wheelchair and write or draw in a notebook (as seen in some of the portraits).

Source: Khaleej-esque

Yet in Pelijhan’s portrait series, Luka is seen doing all of the things he is unable to do in real life: playing basketball, scuba diving, and skateboarding to name a few. To achieve this effect, Pelijhan arranged Luka on different backgrounds, then shot the pictures from above, simulating real-life movement. The Little Prince is both motivational and endearing.

Source: Khaleej-esque

author

Established in 2010, All That's Interesting brings together a dedicated staff of digital publishing veterans and subject-level experts in history, true crime, and science. From the lesser-known byways of human history to the uncharted corners of the world, we seek out stories that bring our past, present, and future to life. Privately-owned since its founding, All That's Interesting maintains a commitment to unbiased reporting while taking great care in fact-checking and research to ensure that we meet the highest standards of accuracy.

editor

Savannah Cox holds a Master's in International Affairs from The New School as well as a PhD from the University of California, Berkeley, and now serves as an Assistant Professor at the University of Sheffield. Her work as a writer has also appeared on DNAinfo.