French photographer and director Romain Laurent started making portrait-based GIFs as a way to produce work outside his commercial jobs, a spontaneous project that would encourage him to produce consistently for himself rather than clients.

A woman dances during a rehearsal by the group “Tambores de Olokun” in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Sunday, April 17, 2022. The Brazilian municipalities of Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo postponed the traditional parades of the carnival samba schools to April 22 - 23, as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. (Photo by Bruna Prado/AP Photo)

A member of Viradouro samba school performs during the first night of Rio's Carnival parade at the Sambadrome Marques de Sapucai in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil on April 22, 2022. (Photo by Carl de Souza/AFP Photo)

Queen of drums, Sabrina Sato of Unidos de Vila Isabel samba school during the Champions Parade on the last day of Rio de Janeiro 2022 Carnival at Marques de Sapucai Sambadrome on May 01, 2022 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Rio de Janeiro's iconic carnival returns to the sambodrome after a two year suspension and postponements due to the coronavirus pandemic. (Photo by Wagner Meier/Getty Images)

What do superheroes do when they’re not busy fighting bad guys and saving the world from destruction? Perhaps they’re drawing strength alone in the peace and quiet of the great outdoors. That’s the premise of French photographer Benoit Lapray‘s photo-manipulation series “The Quest for the Absolute.”

A model presents a creation by French designer Barbara Bui as part of her Spring/Summer 2016 women's ready-to-wear collection during Fashion Week in Paris, France, October 1, 2015. (Photo by Charles Platiau/Reuters)

An unidentified guest wears a hat with a lion at the Grand Palais which is transformed into a Chanel airport before German designer Karl Lagerfeld's Spring/Summer 2016 women's ready-to-wear collection for French fashion house Chanel during Fashion Week in Paris, France, October 6, 2015. (Photo by Benoit Tessier/Reuters)

Dancers of the Moulin Rouge cabaret adjust their boots prior to a show on April 22, 2014 in Paris. Since 1945, the “Maison Clairvoy” is specialised in the creation of luxury shoes and started in 1960 a collaboration with the famous Moulin Rouge to create boots and shoes for French Cancan dancers. (Photo by Franck Fife/AFP Photo)