Special Projects
Monster Men Off Duty
Feb 2026
Monster Men Off Duty, a compelling project by Special Projects, masterfully captures the intersection of intimate identity and urban exploration. Through a series of sophisticated diptychs and composite layouts, the work documents a diverse cast of models—including Davin Benson, Elliot Belot, Joe Bottomer, and Malte Carlsson—stripping away the performative layers of high fashion to reveal a grounded, off-duty aesthetic. Photographer Emil Dietrich employs a consistent editorial language, skillfully balancing high-contrast monochromatic headshots with candid, lifestyle-oriented street photography. By layering these portraits against blurred, neutral cityscapes and architectural details, the project leans into a documentary-style sensibility that feels both immediate and timeless. The reliance on natural light throughout the series softens the edges of these urban environments, creating an inviting intimacy that emphasizes texture, from suede shearling jackets to the grit of asphalt. Produced by Jada Joyce, the project elevates the humble portrait to a narrative device, using small, inset framed images to mirror and contrast the larger, full-body movements of the subjects in their natural habitat. Ultimately, the collection reads as a meditation on the modern man, blending minimalist portraiture with the spontaneity of street life to create a cohesive visual archive of contemporary masculinity, style, and quiet, unfiltered self-expression.
Editorial, Lifestyle, Vertical, Vertical
Natural light, Natural light
