Can you explain the technical process behind self.space to the general public, especially the AI angle?
Technically, self.space runs on a closed loop we engineered from scratch. You step into the studio, see yourself in a full-length mirror, and trigger the shutter with a thumb-sized remote, with no photographer and no outside gaze. The moment a frame is captured, it is written to an encrypted drive and sealed with a one-time password that even our team cannot bypass. From there our own AI model, built in-house rather than bolted on from an off-the-shelf API, replaces the traditional retoucher. Because it is trained exclusively on self-portraits, it knows how to tread lightly: it evens out light, contrast, and colour, while keeping minor skin distractions, such as freckles and pores, and every quirk that makes a face unique. In a few seconds, the finished image appears in your private gallery, accessible only with the code the system sends to you. The entire journey, from click to polished portrait, stays inside a secure box you control, and the end result looks like you on your best-lit day, nothing more, nothing less.
Yes, women still do not feel comfortable, but there is a rise in modest fashion regardless of religion as of late. How do you see these issues playing on the social level?
The common thread is personal agency. Everywhere, people want to decide how they are seen and who gets to see them. Modest fashion expresses that choice through clothing, while self- directed photography expresses it through space and technology. At self.space, the door closes, the outside gaze disappears, and guests, whether covered, casual, or corporate, set their boundaries. We are not challenging any norms; we are offering a neutral canvas, allowing each person to define their own comfort and self-expression on their own terms.
It is a little interesting that the founders of self.space, Mitia Muravev (Founder & CEO) and Peter Bondarenko (Founder & CPO), are both males… Is there an irony or discrepancy in this?
Not really. Feeling uneasy in front of a camera is a universal human experience, rather than a gendered one. By approaching the problem through empathy, asking how anyone can feel in control and at ease, we created a space that resonates widely. Today, around 70 percent of our guests are women, and we hope more men will discover that a privacy-first studio makes portraits feel effortless rather than awkward. Good product thinking listens to people’s feelings, not their pronouns.
“We don’t sell photos, we sell a moment of radical self-ownership” is one of your quotes. How do your clients feel about self.space, considering most women reject their images because tension never leaves their faces?
First, we never call them clients; they are guests. The experience starts online with an intuitive booking flow, continues in a calm lounge, and then into a private studio where no one rushes or judges them. Because the guest controls the shutter, they have time to breathe, try poses, laugh and retry. By the time the AI delivers the gallery, usually before they leave the building, most guests are smiling at their screens rather than critiquing themselves. Many tell us it’s the first time they’ve truly liked a photo of themselves.
Taboo is everywhere, in social norms and heritage. Do we need to fight or adjust to it, specifically given that you come from different nationalities than the GCC women you are targeting?
We live and work in the Gulf, and we built self.space with guidance from local friends, partners, and early guests. The region is wonderfully diverse: Emirati, Saudi, Lebanese, Indian, Filipino, European, and American communities all have different comfort zones. Rather than dictate norms, we offer a private room, respectful technology, and total control over sharing. That approach resonates far beyond the GCC; it is simply good manners in a digital age.
The studio seems like a boutique-hotel spa. Why is that so?
Great portraits happen when people feel relaxed, not exposed. We borrowed hospitality cues such as warm lighting, soft textures, and discreet service bells to drop anxiety the moment you step in. The tech may be futuristic, but the vibe is human: plush seating, playlists chosen for calm confidence, and staff trained more like concierges than camera operators. Think of it as self-care that happens to produce magazine-grade images.
