DOCUMENTARY: the DRAGON under our feet

BTS Photography

Sept. 2025

Project Overview

Behind-the-scenes 35mm film photography documenting a ten-day production shoot in Armenia for the feature-length documentary The Dragon Under Our Feet, which follows artist Tara Baghdassarian as she traces the history and symbolism of Armenian carpets.

Role & Contributions

  • Collaborated closely with the director and cinematography team to capture atmospheric, story-centered stills

  • Documented crew workflow, on-location environments, and key narrative moments to support the film’s visual archive

  • Provided production support and on-set adaptability within a small, mobile documentary crew

    • Created a cohesive visual record of the Armenia shoot that is now part of the documentary’s official production archive

    • Delivered images used for internal development, fundraising, and festival submission materials

    • Expanded the film’s ability to communicate its tone and cultural grounding to partners, potential funders, and future audiences

  • My strategy focused on the quiet, unposed moments that show how a documentary comes together. Using 35mm film created a tactile visual language tied to the film’s themes of cultural heritage and craftsmanship. I moved through set intuitively and unobtrusively, preserving real interactions as they unfolded.

CULTURAL PUBLICATION: QAMI JAN

Creative Direction | Photography

May 2024 – Oct. 2024

Project Overview

QAMI JAN is an independent magazine and brand centering creative voices of the Armenian diaspora. My contributions span analog photography and editorial collaboration. Through 35mm film, I trace landscapes and fragments of daily life that reflect heritage, presence, and QAMI JAN’s commitment to collective memory.

Role & Contributions

  • Developed visual direction to align with the publication’s tone across multiple issues

  • Produced original film photography for features, interviews, and artist profiles

  • Shaped tone and visual direction to align with each issue’s concept and narrative arc

    • Informed the visual identity of QAMI JAN’s editorial voice

    • Expanded its archive of Armenia-centered film photography

    • Contributed to decolonial media through image-making and collaboration

  • My process centers on presence and minimal interference. I work with analog cameras and natural light, photographing subjects in their environments where atmosphere guides the frame. Each shoot began in dialogue to ensure the imagery reflected its moment and context.

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