As an enormous fan of movies and television, it’s no wonder this Alex Hyner photo series caught my eye. Spotted on his Instagram feed, these ten photos of old little televisions, their screens glowing in the dark with still images of well-known movies and TV shows, makes me want to make popcorn and settle in.

Alex Hyner Photo Series

The images have an obvious retro vibe given the dated technology, clues like a Sony Walkman and a roll of film, as well as the chosen titles. The dramatic blue/orange lighting, reminiscent of legendary director Douglas Sirk, takes us back to the days of melodramas and technicolor.

The series has an undeniable intimacy despite being void of people. There are hints of life everywhere. Lit cigarettes burning in ashtrays, half drunk glasses of booze, an open book… tell-tale signs of the viewer we cannot see, making us voyeurs to an otherwise personal experience.

The glow emanating from the TV in the dead of night or early breaking dawn lights up the rest of the room just enough for us to fill in the narrative. One gets the feeling that this is a sole activity between viewer and entertainment – sure to resonate with Insomniacs such as myself.

The ten photos feature movies and TV series from the late 60s to the 90s. From Richard Gere in An American Gigolo to James Cameron’s Titanic (Hyner’s choice for greatest movie ever made according to his Insta), these are such classics that one still frame is all that needed to communicate.

Hyner says “This series of images has been therapeutic to work on these last few months.” but doesn’t mention whether they are a personal project or a commercial project. He has taken two of the images (Titanic and the JAWS title) a bit further than the rest by compositing oceans with the his photos, moving them from the recognizable to the surreal.

All images courtesy of Alex Hyner.

Follow him on Instagram @alexhyner