The transformation of ordinary objects into fine art has always been a compelling pursuit in my photographic practice. Much like traditional still life painting, still life photography focuses on inanimate objects arranged in deliberate compositions. Yet, within this structure, I often introduce elements of surrealism and abstraction—pushing the boundaries of how everyday items can be perceived.

In this series, aged and weathered license plates serve as both canvas and character. Their tarnished colors, rusted textures, and surface imperfections create a rich visual backdrop—filled with history, wear, and unexpected beauty.

Onto these surfaces, I carefully overlay transparencies of human faces, placing each one with meticulous attention to detail before photographing the final composition. The result is a series of dreamlike, almost ghostly portraits, where identity floats atop the industrial patina of time. The juxtaposition of human fragility and metal resilience invites reflection on memory, identity, and impermanence.

An essential part of the creative process involves prop hunting—often a weeks-long ritual of searching through antique shops and markets. I seek out license plates manufactured prior to the 1950s, as their color palettes are uniquely vibrant, faded by decades of exposure. These older plates are discolored, dented, stained, and deeply rusted—bearing the physical traces of their journey. Their imperfections not only lend character but meet the visual and emotional criteria required for inclusion in the project.

The License Plate Project is not just about objects or faces; it’s about transformation. It’s about reimagining discarded materials into vessels of meaning, where past lives, imagined or real, continue to resonate—framed by metal, time, and light.