Portrait Photography by Chloe Aftel

Chloe Aftel began her photography career while pursuing a graduate degree in film production at University of Southern California. Unhappy with her school work, she decided to explore her interest in "trying to create worlds and feelings and emotions visually" through the photographic medium. She rented equipment, drew on film lighting techniques she'd learned, and began putting together elaborate scenes, making what she calls "one-frame movie stills."