The selected images thoughtfully reflect my original intention to explore how people connect with their surroundings through the medium of natural light—particularly sunlight—and its poetic interaction with urban structures. My aim was to capture moments where light doesn’t merely illuminate, but narrates; where shadows stretch and carve meaning into the mundane. Like Saul Leiter, whose work often framed light as an emotional and compositional tool, I’ve used sunlight as a central character within these frames, letting it reveal the vibrancy and rhythm of everyday life in Beijing.
Image 1: “Afternoon Flow”
In this image, a crowd moves through a commercial walkway, with sunlight cascading through the trees and casting elongated shadows across the ground. The warm glow of the afternoon sun bathes the scene in golden hues, drawing attention to the textures of the pavement and the figures’ movement. The juxtaposition of light and shadow echoes Leiter’s soft abstraction, while still preserving the candid energy of the moment. It invites viewers to feel the pulse of urban life as filtered through natural light, creating a fleeting yet grounded sense of connection. The presence of familiar commercial signs like “Sephora” and “Pop Mart” enhances this contrast between the artificial and the organic.
Image 2: “Playground of Shadows”
This image of a children’s ride—an array of colorful, stationary trains—uses deep contrast and warm highlights to evoke a nostalgic sense of stillness. The long afternoon shadows create a surreal, almost dreamlike ambiance, transforming a space of play into a contemplative scene. The sunlight reflecting off the shiny surfaces of the trains softens the otherwise hard edges of the composition. It mirrors Saul Leiter’s technique of using reflective surfaces to alter visual perception and mood. Through this, the image communicates a silent story about paused moments in a constantly moving city—moments where light itself becomes the storyteller.
Image 3: “Night Courier”
This nighttime image departs from direct sunlight but remains consistent with the project’s focus on light as a connective medium. The warm artificial lighting curves around the rider, illuminating his face as he focuses on his phone, surrounded by cool tones and faint reflections. The sharp QR code glowing in the foreground introduces a contrast between organic human engagement and the impersonal efficiency of urban systems. Inspired by Leiter’s use of fragmented compositions and visual layers, I framed this scene to highlight intimacy in a public space. The neon glow serves as a stand-in for sunlight, connecting the nocturnal rhythm of the city to the day’s vibrancy.
Original Intent:
From the start, my goal was to reveal how light—especially sunlight—interacts with urban environments and human presence. I wanted to showcase the emotional and visual poetry of sunlight as it shapes daily life in Beijing. However, throughout the project, I began to appreciate how both natural and artificial light sculpt space and emotion. This shift led me to include evening images, like “Night Courier,” as part of the broader narrative of light’s omnipresence.
Development and Experimentation:
To achieve this, I explored a variety of lighting conditions, shooting during golden hour, harsh afternoon sun, and post-sunset hours. I deliberately avoided flash or artificial light sources of my own, allowing ambient light to guide the composition. I also experimented with reflective surfaces, glass, and shadows—techniques strongly influenced by Saul Leiter’s work. The soft blur, color saturation, and interplay of planes in the final images reflect my efforts to move beyond documentation into poetic storytelling. Through post-processing and careful framing, I emphasized depth, warmth, and mood, making the light feel as emotionally resonant as the people within it.
