Portrait of an elderly man with a beard wearing a structured blazer and cummerbund against a plain wall.

Man wearing a double-breasted beige blazer and red clown nose seated on a black chair against a green wall

Three models in an ornate green room with red carpet, including a seated man holding a red sphere

Woman in dark high-collared coat playing an upright piano in a warm-toned interior

SHADOWPLAY Magazine THE RESIDENTS 2026

About

In the latest edition of SHADOWPLAY Magazine, the feature titled The Residents transcends the boundaries of traditional editorial photography by weaving a surrealist narrative through a series of carefully composed portraits. Captured by photographer Nicolas Schnabel, the series functions as a visual study in tension and contrast, moving fluidly between moments of quiet domestic intimacy and high-fashion eccentricity. The project relies on natural light to ground its more whimsical elements, including unexpected accessories like a vibrant red clown nose and golden rhinoceros sculptures, which disrupt the otherwise formal aesthetic of the subjects. Through the creative collaboration of hair stylist Wataru Suzuki and makeup artist Anne Timper, the subjects—including models Helene Ruys and Karl Heinz Hirschberger—are transformed into characters within a cinematic space. The imagery shifts from the chiaroscuro-inspired depth of a structured studio portrait to the saturated, ornate interior of a classically styled room, utilizing sharp silhouettes and deliberate color blocking to engage the viewer. This editorial project channels a sophisticated, stylized sensibility that feels both grounded and dreamlike. By balancing the grit of textures against the playful subversion of high-fashion norms, The Residents creates a cohesive, evocative world that challenges the static nature of standard lifestyle portraiture, leaving the audience to parse the silent, lingering narratives hidden within each meticulously framed, cinematic tableau.