Mette Linturi
This portrait assignment was commissioned by Helsingin Sanomat and focused on photographing dancer and performer Mette Linturi, whose work has gained international attention following her appearance in The Jungle’s “Back on 74” — a release that sparked a widely shared global dance trend. Linturi has also appeared in music videos for FKA twigs and Kylie Minogue.
The portraits were photographed on location in Woolwich, London. The environment was deliberately restrained — glass, metal, and concrete providing a quiet architectural backdrop that allowed her movement to stand out. The intention was to allow presence and physicality to carry the narrative, rather than relying on setting alone.
Working outdoors introduced the familiar constraints of changing light and unpredictable weather. Rather than resisting this, the conditions shaped the pacing of the shoot. Shifts between cloud cover and brief breaks of light created moments of softness and contrast, allowing the portraits to move between wider environmental frames and more contained compositions.
A second location, Assembly by sculptor Peter Burke, offered a different visual language. Surrounded by static cast figures, Linturi’s movement became more pronounced — her physical presence separating naturally from the stillness of the forms around her. The setting echoed themes familiar to performance: visibility, distinction, and the relationship between the individual and the collective.
As daylight faded, the focus shifted toward tighter framing and a more direct use of light. These later portraits prioritised strength and clarity, reflecting both Linturi’s discipline as a dancer and the assuredness she brings to performance. Time spent working together allowed space for rhythm and repetition, influencing both the pacing of the shoot and the resulting images.
The resulting photographs aim to balance movement and structure, softness and precision. Rather than documenting a performance, the work centres on presence — capturing a subject whose practice is defined by control, expression, and physical awareness, photographed within an environment that allows those qualities to surface without distraction.
