Gallery: These Surreal Photo Collages Are Actually Ingenious Time-Lapse Portraits
Photo: Michel Lamoller01taut 1
In Berlin-based artist Michel Lamoller's series *Tautochronos* he layers several hand-cut photos on top of each other.
Photo: Michel Lamoller0243-tautochronos-IIa
Lamoller takes up to ten photographs in one location, while the subject changes appearance.
Photo: Michel Lamoller03taut 2
Then, with a scalpel knife, Lamoller carves out pieces of the photos, and stacks them together. Here, the edges around the model show that his nude photo is at the bottom of the stack. Each successive photo shows a hint of one more item of clothing.
Photo: Michel Lamoller0443-tautochronos13final2klein
It's almost like having X-ray vision.
Photo: Michel Lamoller0543-tautochronos7small
Some collages blend the subject into their environment, like this image that uses bark-shaped pieces to camouflage a woman into a tree.
Photo: Michel Lamoller06taut 5
Because the model is wearing a green t-shirt, this one is particularly surreal.
Photo: Michel Lamoller0743-Tautochronos-I
In some others, the time of day can be seen when lighter frames get layered next to dimmer ones. Here, some of the tiles look sunlit, while others are in the shadows.
Photo: Michel Lamoller08taut 3
Here, Lamoller blends denim and orange fleece into both the park bench and stone pathway underneath the subject.
Photo: Michel Lamoller09taut 4
The gridded pattern shows the setting when it's inhabited, and when it's empty.
Photo: Michel Lamoller1043-tautochronos10small
Lamoller always looks to carve out portions of the picture that will yield what he calls, “the most surreal experience.”
Photo: Michel Lamoller1143-tautochronos4
*Tautochronos* evolved from an earlier series called *Layerscapes*, that applies the same technique to landscapes and cityscapes. Lamoller uses that here, and plays up the contrast between sitting indoors at a desk, while an entire city sits in the background.
Photo: Michel Lamoller1243-tautochronos 12klein
This series is more intimate, in part because it features Lamoller's friends, sometimes in their own homes. This is an eight-layer piece that collapses the seconds in which a woman sheds layers of clothing.
Photo: Michel Lamoller1343-tautochronos9-1small
Here, in a visual double entendre, Lamoller creates a camouflage just out of layered shirts and the subject's skin underneath.
Photo: Michel Lamoller1443-tautochronos14Nsmall
*Tautochronos* (Greek for “at the same time”) is an ongoing series.
The Audacity Is the Broligarchy Takedown You Were Waiting For
AMC’s new black comedy about a manchild tech titan spinning out of control is a skewering Silicon Valley’s billionaire class deserves.
Miles Klee
A Lot of Shops Won't Fix Electric Bikes. Here's Why
Bike shop mechanics have lost fingers and their shirts while repairing ebikes of dubious origins. Make sure yours is repairable and third-party certified.
Stephanie Pearson
It’s a Tablet! It’s a Laptop! After Testing the Best 2-in-1s, Here’s What I Recommend
Whether you want a detachable tablet or a laptop screen that spins, these 2-in-1 devices manage to balance being both a tablet and a laptop.
Luke Larsen
There’s a Secret Ingredient to Making Luxury Ice at Home
Nice ice is big business, but you can get perfectly clear cubes at home without freezing your assets.
Jeremy White
The Screenmaxxers Who Spend Every Waking Hour on Their Phones
As debates over social media addiction rage, people with extreme screen times tell WIRED they have no plans to cut back.
Miles Klee
Mammotion’s Spino E1 Pool Cleaner Isn’t Bad for the Price—It's Just Not That Good
This compact pool robot keeps its price down, but its performance doesn’t match that of more capable cleaners.
Christopher Null
The Best Coffee Mug Warmers Are Smart. But They Don’t Need an App
The first rule of coffee is that it must stay hot. After weeks or even years of testing, these are the three coffee warmers that will best keep it that way.
Matthew Korfhage
Crimson Desert Is a Cat Dad Simulator
Step into the shoes of the strongest, goodest boy in a game that is beautiful, baffling, and impossible to put down.
This At-Home Hair Color Printer Raised My Blood Pressure
This hair dye printer promises hundreds of shades. It couldn't even manage two.
Louryn Strampe
I Tested the MacBook Neo and the MacBook Air. Here's Which One You Should Buy
After conducting long-term testing on both the MacBook Neo and MacBook Air, I have a good idea who should buy which laptop.
Luke Larsen
The Best Electric Cargo Bikes for Carrying This and That Everywhere
You don't need a car to tote around kids and cup holders. I rode cargo ebikes for miles to find the best one for your buck.
Adrienne So
Your Push Notifications Aren’t Safe From the FBI
Plus: Iran’s internet blackout hits the 1,000-hour mark, cryptocurrency scams result in a record amount of money stolen from Americans, and more.
Matt Burgess