Jesse Hlebo Makes Us Uncomfortable

Beneath the dewy, muted tones of his pictures, lies an intention Jesse Hlebo has to make his subjects as awkward as possible. Whether the Brooklyn-based photographer is shooting bands he loves or taking portraits of his nearest and dearest, Jesse looks for “people challenged by physical and psychological endurance induced by tension. I’m interested in the ensuing uncomfortability that occurs.”

The Parsons graduate’s portfolio is filled with images of his subjects shrinking into themselves, avoiding being touched by disembodied hands and on the verge of tears. In his shots of bands like The Hundred in the Hands, Zs, Boredoms, Battles and Okie Dokie you’ll encounter bleeding gashes, people unable to remove themselves from folding chairs and anonymous, nude models crouching alongside the musicians.

“In general I prefer to work with people I know,” Jesse told us when we asked how he selects the artists he shoots. “That way I already sort of know enough about them to know what makes them uncomfortable. I like using photographic sessions to see how far I can push them. At the same time, I really enjoy applying that approach to people I don’t know. There is typically an expected disconnect that is then pushed further or brought closer by the compromising positions I implement.”

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  Jesse Hlebo