Photography has always been as much about confidence as it is about the camera. Yet, for many, the traditional photo shoot can feel like a high-pressure ordeal with the watchful eye of a photographer, the discomfort of posing on demand, and the niggling self-consciousness. What if the key to better portraits was simply giving people full control of their ownmoment? That’s exactly the premise behind Self.space, Dubai’s first AI-powered self-photography studio, launching this September in Al Quoz.
Self.space isn’t your typical studio. The startup has crafted a sealed, sound-insulated room designed to eliminate the usual stress triggers. No photographer. No awkward instructions. Just you, a cinema-grade camera, and a smart mirror powered by Edge AI, ready to guide you through your shoot. The tech gently directs your poses, lighting, and angles, while AI handles real-time image tweaks like skin smoothing and colour correction without masking your natural features.
At the heart of this concept is a simple insight: most people don’t dislike how they look in photos; they dislike the uncomfortable experience of having their picture taken. Self.space founders Mitia Muravev and Peter Bondarenko tapped into this, especially noting how privacy and modesty matter in Dubai’s diverse communities.
Privacy is more than a buzzword here. All photos are processed within a private cloud, encrypted, and delivered securely through one-time access links. No lingering data, no back-end storage beyond what’s needed to access your gallery. This level of security might just be what nudges more people out from behind their phones to take professional-grade portraits.
The response so far has been telling. When piloted at the 2024 Arab Media Summit, hundreds queued up, many saying it was the first time they truly enjoyed a photo shoot. Since then, Self.space has welcomed over 4,000 users during softlaunches, appealing not just to influencers and professionals but to everyday people who simply want to feel more comfortable in front of the camera.
This innovation flips the traditional photography model on its head, democratizing studio-quality portraits and putting creative power where it belongs — in your own hands.
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