A series of photographs that include cinematic elements, including lighting, format, composition, and creative methods.
The Cinematic
![A woman in black-on-white polka-dot-shirt, a black beret, red lipstick, holds a black-leather-gloved left hand in front of her face, peering through her fingers](/assets/Xinxin-Zhang_The-Cinematic_Portfolio_1_Vivian.jpg)
Vivian
![A woman seated at a table before a window, with highrise buildings in the background, leans one arm on the table and rests the other elbow; she wears black mesh-lace fingerless gloves, a white button-down, a black beret, and red lipstick](/assets/Xinxin-Zhang_The-Cinematic_Portfolio_7_Asia.jpg)
Asia
![A woman in an off-shoulder dress with a black-on-white polka dot ruffle and red lipstick sits against a deep maroon background and looks straight toward the camera](/assets/Xinxin-Zhang_The-Cinematic_Portfolio_3_Sara.jpg)
Sara
![A pair of red shoes in a circular woven basket with mesh cover](/assets/Xinxin-Zhang_The-Cinematic_Portfolio_2_Lunar-New-Year.jpg)
Lunar New Year
![A woman in a black slip sits in dim golden light on the edge of a bed, elbow on her knee, chin propped on her hand, a folding fan in the other hand.](/assets/Xinxin-Zhang_The-Cinematic_Portfolio_6_Roxy.jpg)
Roxy
![A woman in a sequined shirt lies back on a patterned bedspread, one hand on her heart one on her stomach](/assets/Xinxin-Zhang_The-Cinematic_Portfolio_5_Kika.jpg)
Kika
![A woman in a blue shag coat sips from a large, purple-red, etched martini glass, partially obscuring her face, but looking up to meet the camera's gaze](/assets/Xinxin-Zhang_The-Cinematic_Portfolio_4_Shay.jpg)
Shay
![A woman in cream shag coat, light green dress, and gold heels leans backward along a balcony railing; she is seen through partially-open French doors](/assets/Xinxin-Zhang_The-Cinematic_Portfolio_8_Ana.jpg)
Ana
![A woman, in profile, holds a spray of white orchids; she stands against a dark wallpaper with a tropical pattern, flamingos, hibiscus, and palm fronds are all to be seen](/assets/Xinxin-Zhang_The-Cinematic_Portfolio_9_Millie.jpg)
Millie
![A curved spray of deep purple-red orchids on a mirrored table, held by the stem, by a hand just at the bottom-right corner of the frame.](/assets/Xinxin-Zhang_The-Cinematic_Portfolio_9_Yin-Yang.jpg)
Yin-Yang
“My photos are portraiture that include cinematic elements, including lighting, format, composition, and creative methods. I use Tungsten continuous lights with light ratios carefully designed to reinforce the image’s narrative, and strong chiaroscuro. They are narrative images that are collaboration between the models and the photographer to tell inspirational stories about emotions such as nostalgia, sentimentality, and sexuality. I made the portraits with a respect toward humans’ natural imperfections and
melodramatic tendencies, as well as a nod to aesthetics and classical arts.”—Xinxin Zhang
The Cinematic appeared in The Gallatin Arts Festival, 2019.