Author: Jenna

As I’m interested in both movement and shadow, I decided to take photo of movement for the first set and shadow for the second set. Even though those two topics are completely different, I will connect them by focusing on the theme of duality and contrast.

For this project, I will focus on the movement of light from urban buildings and infrastructure. This theme aligns with the concepts of duality and contrast, as I will capture the transition from daylight to darkness, highlighting the contrast with the bright lights of the city. This set will be taken outside of studio, which means there are range of different lights and environment that I can put layer on, as well as various camera techniques. Light and shadow are opposites but coexist—they define each other, so movement shifts the balance between them and this theme reflects the idea of balance between opposing forces, which are seen/hidden and presence/absence. Moreover, I will prioritize compositional balance, negative spave, and depth of field by  using long shutter speed as my key camera technique. Through experimentation, I’ve found that when I use a long exposure and move the camera immediately after pressing the shutter, the light in the photo mirrors my movement, creating a dynamic visual effect.

 

Ernst Haas

Ernst Haas was an Austrian-American photographer, best known for his colour photography work and expressive style. He often embraced blur, abstraction, and vibrant hues to convey emotion rather than literal representation, transforming everyday scenes into expressive visuals. Technically, Haas mastered using Kodachrome film, which allowed him to achieve deep, saturated colours, and he frequently used slow shutter speeds to capture movement softly—creating dynamic images that suggested motion rather than freezing it. His camera technique was intuitive and experimental; rather than focusing on sharpness or precision, he prioritised a moment’s mood, atmosphere, and emotional resonance.

His photographs:

Inspired  photo from him: Rush Hour, New York City, 1980

This photo deeply inspired my approach to capturing light movement, particularly through its use of motion blur, atmosphere, and ambient light. The way figures dissolve into streaks and shadows while the city glows with reflections and steam made me see light not just as illumination, but as a living, moving subject. I was drawn to the contrast between stillness and motion, where fleeting human presence becomes part of the environment’s rhythm. This influenced my decision to explore long exposures and lighting in my own photography, aiming to evoke a similar sense of transience and emotional depth through light in motion.

Eric Staller

Eric Staller is an American artist and photographer famous for his use of light as both a medium and a subject, particularly through his work in light painting during the 1970s and 1980s. As he worked primarily at night in urban environments like New York City, Staller used long exposure photography to capture trails of moving light created by hand light sources such as sparklers, flashlights, and custom-built light devices. His technique involved choreographed movement in front of the camera during extended exposures, transforming ordinary city streets into special spaces. His work explores themes of transformation, movement, and playfulness, often expressing performance art with photography to emphasise the interaction between human presence and light. By physically moving light through space and recording it over time, Staller redefined static photography into a time-based, performative visual art. His ability to visualise his invisible imagination and normal aspects of the city through light trails resonates with my interest in using long exposure and camera movement to explore the balance between visibility and invisibility, presence and absence.

His photographs:

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inspired photo:Light Tunnel

This photo by Eric Staller inspired me through its transformative use of light, movement and long exposure, which aligns with my statement of intent.  The light trails mirror his physical movement, which resonates with my own experimentation of moving the camera after pressing the shutter to let the light echo my motion. His ability to use light as both a structural and element inspired me to explore how light can represent illumination as it creates depth and reveals contrast between presence and absence. The glowing arcs illustrate the balance between control and spontaneity, which connects back to my focus on duality, particularly how visibility and invisibility interact in my project exploring the interplay of light and shadow in urban environments.

 

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Top 3:

For my third top photo, I selected the final image featuring Ms. Belcon, which clearly reflects her identity. While photographing her, I aimed to emphasize her role as a chemistry teacher. To achieve this, I used a glass cylinder without water, positioning it to appear as though her gaze was directed through the cylinder, aligning with the audience’s perspective. In this particular photo, I employed lighting techniques, balance, high shutter speed, and mid-ISO settings. I intentionally illuminated only the right side of her face, which cast light on her glasses, the cylinder, and nearly half of her face. This lighting creates a narrative where she somehow looks like a “mad scientist,” as the stark contrast between the light and dark sides not only highlights one aspect of her persona but also adds an element of suspense and seriousness. Additionally, the balance of negative space enhances the overall theme, making it more impactful and noticeable, because the balanced dark background amplifies the suspense, emphasizing the model’s expression and the overall mood of the photograph.

 

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While I chose Ms Belcon as my second model for the final set, the first model was Eunseong, who is my age and has various differences from Ms Belcon. With several conceptual tries and experiments,  I utilized a glass cup filled with water to emphasize his eye, which serves as a metaphorical window into his mind. Visually, the “eye” symbolizes perception and insight, and by focusing on this aspect, I aimed to capture the themes of isolation and duality that align with my statement of intent. The glass cup works as a magnifying glass, allowing the audience to delve deeper into the model’s inner world and highlighting his isolation within the frame. This reinforces the idea that our external appearances often hide the complexities of our inner selves.

In terms of technique, I employed careful composition, editing, and mid-shutter speed to clearly underscore these themes. The use of negative space and depth of field around his eye also enhances the sense of isolation. While the bottom of the glass creates an effect similar to that of a reading glass, it invites viewers to think of something behind his expression. Moreover, the black-and-white version of the photo enhances its abstract quality and isolation, evoking a feeling of coldness. The absence of colour allows the viewer to focus more intently on the shapes, contrasts, and emotions conveyed in the image, further emphasizing the themes of duality.

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This photo stands out as the top photo in my final set of reflections, as it closely aligns with the inspiring examples I gathered on my mood board and matches my original intent of exploring glass reflections and optical illusions. Connecting back to my statement of intent, this photograph illustrates the theme of duality—the contrast between our inner selves and outward appearances. The glass’s exterior displays a smiling expression, yet the true expression behind the glass remains hidden, symbolizing the complexity of our identities. By positioning the model with the glass held forward, I represent what we choose to show others while hiding our true feelings. This highlights a significant issue in the society: a lack of expression, and the glass acts as both a barrier and a lens that reflects how we often hide our true selves.

In terms of visual techniques, I employed composition: negative space and the rule of thirds, and strategic lighting with a high shutter speed to emphasize the theme of duality. Not only does the negative space surrounding the model draw attention to the glass and her expression, inviting viewers to engage with the photo, but also the usage of the rule of thirds positions the glass in a way that creates curiosity about the expression behind it, encouraging the audience to question about the hidden part within the photograph. The lighting technique enhances the negative space and directs focus toward both the model and the glass, further reinforcing the themes of duality and lack of expression.

Moreover, I also edited the model’s expression in the coloured photo to make it look old or black-and-white. This change highlights her smile while reducing the colours around her, showing the contrast between how we appear and how we really feel inside. It represents the idea that we might smile on the outside, but often our true emotions are hidden beneath that smile.

In my previous set, I focused primarily on the reflections of the building’s exterior and glass surfaces. For my final set, however, I will concentrate on exploring reflections through different types of glass. The central theme of this collection is the exploration of our duality and inner mind, as we often possess two distinct faces of ourselves that coexist.

The main elements of glass I will use include refraction and optical illusions created by lighting. Since I will be shooting in a studio, lighting will be a priority among other visual techniques, as different lighting can take different appearances of the same object. Although my original intention was to photograph glass exclusively, my research into various inspiring photographs led me to shift my focus toward portraits through glass.

To achieve this, I will use different types of glass, including wine glasses, beer cups, and chemical cylinders (for my model), as well as glasses of varying dimensions. I have selected two models from different races, ages, and countries—one is a friend, and the other is my chemistry teacher as I was initially inspired by the three states of matter in chemistry. The stark contrasts between the models can evoke diverse stories, emotions, and meanings beyond the reflection photographs, all of which connect back to my central theme.

Additionally, I will employ techniques such as composition, strategic lighting, low ISO, and high shutter speed. Overall, my intention for the final set is to convey more than one emotion or story in a photograph, representing our duality.

This photograph, taken by Antonio Gutierrez Pereira, showcases his distinctive portraits, employing glass distortion and black-and-white saturation. Upon first viewing this image, I was immediately inspired to experiment with his techniques, particularly the use of glass to create intriguing distortions and flexions in portraits.

While my initial focus was on glass distortion and architectural elements, this photograph has motivated me to explore the use of water as a medium for achieving captivating distortions and reflections on portraits. I believe this approach will allow me to delve into a variety of themes and techniques, expanding my artistic expression in new and exciting ways.

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As I stated in my statement of intent, I primarily focused on depicting the infrastructure and exterior of the building, particularly highlighting the glass elements. Although this photo was not taken on 798 Street, it captures both the building’s exterior and the sky, showcasing similar colors but evoking different moods. Through various usage of composition—specifically the use of perspective, symmetry, pattern, depth of field, and negative space—I aimed to create visual weight in the image while emphasizing the glass’s qualities of reflection and distortion.

The low-to-high angle perspective or long shot compels viewers to look up from the street, which emphasises the building’s grandeur and height. This viewpoint evokes feelings of awe, making the viewer feel small in comparison to the structure. The symmetry and patterns on the building create a distinct division between the right and left sides of the photo: the left side captures the sky and smaller buildings, while the right showcases the glass-covered facade. This symmetry highlights the stark contrast between nature and man-made structures, clearly separating the two elements. Moreover, the use of negative space enhances this contrast, inviting the audience to reflect on the relationship between the organic and the constructed. And this interplay between the natural and the artificial underscores the theme of duality in urban landscapes, exploring how architectural design interacts with its environment.

Furthermore, the use of a high shutter speed combined with a low ISO enhances the overall mood and quality of the photograph. The high shutter speed captures intricate details, such as the distorted reflections on the glass building, while the clear reflections provide a sharp contrast.

Top 2:

In this photograph, I aimed to capture my original intent, which focuses on the element of glass and the building’s exterior. While many people concentrate on photographing the entire shiny sculpture, I chose to highlight how it is reflected in the glass facade of the building. The exterior is composed of toughened glass with multiple sheets, creating a double reflection that feels almost hallucinatory. By positioning the reflection as the focal point in the center of the image, I emphasized the theme of duality: the real steel sculpture is clearly visible, while its reflection appears multiplied and highly reflective. Additionally, the contrasting colors between reality and reflection further accentuate this duality, inviting viewers to explore the relationship between the two.

Moreover, using a lower shutter speed and a high ISO (around 800) enhances the theme, as the reflection becomes more pronounced in brighter lighting conditions.

Top 1:

Although this photo doesn’t capture the exterior of the building, it captivates attention by showcasing the reflection and distortion of glass. With some editing, I increased the saturation to enhance these glass elements. The cup reflects light from the window, causing the waves on its surface to create reflections in various directions, producing hues of white, purple, and blue. This interplay of colors and light from a single cup generates a unique mood and tone, suggesting viewers to the beauty in everyday objects. It also connects to the different personality traits that we possess as one cup can reflct multiple aspects and yield diverse outcomes.

Additionally, by controlling the depth of field, I focused on the glass in the foreground while blurring the background to enhance the viewer’s concentration. I used a high ISO and mid-range shutter speed to further highlight the themes.