In his latest project, COOPH master Ben Von Wong continues his quest to change the world; and this time he’s taking on e-waste. It’s estimated that 142,000 computers are thrown away in the United States every single day, yet a great number of the components are still perfectly usable. Teaming up with Dell who have the world’s largest global recycling program, Ben’s task was to find a way to make recycling not just cool, but exciting.
In a warehouse in Dallas, Texas, Ben was given 4100 lbs of broken electronic devices for the shoot. Using social media to attract likeminded individuals who were in support of the cause, a total of 50 volunteers joined him to make the project a reality. Together, they built the sets for each scene and carefully separated the waste to be used as props.
From the elaborate set design, to the body painting of the model, the entire shoot took ten days to execute. Using multiple flashes with DIY light modifiers - and even a drone-mounted flash for some aerial illumination, the shoot was finally complete. It may have taken only four hours to pack down, but the result was several powerful and emotive images that will surely last a lifetime.
Ben explains that the whole ethos behind the project was to show "how past electronics had the potential to power future devices.” Approaches like this can go a long way towards reducing waste and saving the planet, so if you’re reading this, you know what to do next! Check out the images below and spread the word!
See more from Ben on his website, Facebook, Instagram and Youtube.
