This autumn I’ve been revelling in the coolth (that’s a real word) and writing spooky stuff in various formats. A little context: this type of blog post is what I decided to do instead of starting …

### Forget the polished editorial. Jaša Müller’s photographs look more like pages ripped straight out of a psychedelic sketchbook. Bright pastel illustrations float dreamily across his subjects’ faces, layered with clouds and washes of color. The images resemble painted portraits, which makes sense: Müller prints out each photograph and transforms it by painting, drawing, cutting, and collaging directly onto the print before re-shooting the result. This practice of physically altering his photographs began when Müller was 17, driven by a desire to make portraiture more personal and distinct. Nearly nine years later, the Paris-based photographer has had a breakout year, shooting multiple high-profile personalities and magazine covers, including __PAPER__ ’s own cover starring __The Bear__ ’s Ayo Edebiri. Müller sat down with __PAPER__ to discuss blurring the lines between art and photography and the power of the handmade in the Age of AI. ### ### ### ### **Your work is mostly based in portraiture. What’s your process of photographing people? It’s such an intimate activity.** Most of my portraits are shot in my apartment, and the whole process usually takes about an hour. The person comes over, we sit on the balcony, smoke a few cigarettes, and talk. The actual shoot takes maybe 10 minutes. Very quick. For portraits specifically, I use a small camera, so it's very intimate. People are not that threatened by those cameras. **After that initial photo is taken, what is your postproduction process?** I like my initial image to be very simple, so I usually shoot on a white background. Then I transform it by printing it, coloring on it, cutting the paper, and applying digital postproduction elements as well. I just see where it leads me; the photos are all redone by hand to emphasize the textures, and then I re-photograph the altered print, so it brings these textures out. When you see the paintbrush strokes on the photos, that is actually me painting on the print. ### ### ### ### **In your final images, it’s clear you have such a command of color. How much of that is makeup, and how much of that is retouching?** Well, it really depends from image to image. Usually, the subject has no makeup, or the skin is just a bit glossy, and then it's all done in post-production. I physically apply most of the textures and color additions. **Your work feels very different from the repetitive, highly curated imagery that dominates social media, especially as AI content has encroached upon our feeds. It has a distinctly human quality to it. Do you think that personal energy is missing from photography today, and is that something you’re trying to bring back?** I think it’s cool that people see my work as part of a movement against AI, and I definitely stand by that, even though I started working this way long before AI was a thing. I think people connect with it because they can see that someone actually made it. We’re entering a stage where it’s becoming harder to tell what’s genuine, which is scary. Even my process might eventually be mistaken for AI! But I think people connect with my photos because they see that it's something that a person made. Considering all of the AI slop out there, I’m super happy that the effort of my craft can be recognized in this way. ### ### ### Talent: **Heloisa Muniz** Photography: **Jaša Müller** Story: **Elizabeth Chung** Styling: **Anna Castan** Makeup Artist: **Marco Roscino** Hair Artist: **Katrin Sachenko** Production:**Marc-Antoine Brouard** Photo Assistant: **Max Chollet** Stylist Assistant: **Paul Chicouras** ### **CREATIVE & **_**_EDITORIAL_**_ __Head of Creative:____Brian Calle __ __Editor-in-Chief: Jordan Bradfield __ __Fashion Director: Angelina Cantú __ __Editorial Director: Mickey Boardman __ __Digital Director: César Alvarez __ __Jr. Creative Director: Peter Demas __ __Editorial Manager: Tamara Amhaz__ _**_PRODUCTION_**_ __Print Design: Composite Co.____ ____Jr. Graphic Designer: Gabe Walsh__ __ __ _ _