The Hidden Language of Family: Stories in the Hutongs
The concept/story I want to tell with my photographs is:
I want to explore the hidden language of family within the textures of daily life, a child’s worn sweater, a parent’s calloused hand, or the light falling on aging brick walls. Through street photography in the Hutongs, I aim to reveal how tradition and modernity coexist, capturing authentic emotions, textures, and fleeting interactions between people and their surroundings. My goal is to show how love, care, and connection live quietly in ordinary spaces where the old meets the new.
I want my audience to feel:
A sense of nostalgic warmth and intimacy, as if they are rediscovering the beauty of small, unnoticed moments in their own lives. I want them to feel grounded in the sensory details of light, texture, and touch that tell silent stories of love, time, and belonging.
I will get inspiration and develop my ideas by looking for photographs that:
Reveal emotion through light and shadow, capture texture and aging surfaces, and use composition to highlight human connection within urban space. I will study photographers like Fan Ho, whose poetic compositions use light and geometry to frame daily life, and Henri Cartier-Bresson, known for capturing the decisive, emotional moment. Their work inspires me to seek balance between spontaneity and storytelling, using the streets as a canvas for family, memory, and time.
Inspirational Artist Images:
Fan Ho – “Approaching Shadow” (1954)
This photo captures light in a very intriguing way. It conveys a powerful idea about life: how even when someone is surrounded by light, symbolizing positivity, they might still be focused on the negative aspects, unable to fully embrace the brightness around them.
Henri Cartier-Bresson – “Rue Mouffetard, Paris” (1954)
This photo gives me the impression that the boy received a really good grade and is excited to show his parents. It evokes a sense of family, capturing that heartfelt moment of anticipation as he waits for their praise and approval
Ho, Fan. As Evening Hurries By. 1955. Blue Lotus Gallery, Hong Kong.
Ho, Fan. Hong Kong Memoirs. 1959. M+, Hong Kong.
Ho, Fan. Afternoon Chat. 1959. Blue Lotus Gallery, Hong Kong.
This photo shows people walking through a dim, shadowy space, with bright rays of light shining in from an opening ahead. The light creates strong contrasts, making the figures look almost like silhouettes. Even though most of the scene is dark, the bright entrance suggests a sense of direction and hope. It feels like the people are moving from darkness toward light, showing how in life, even when things seem unclear, there is always a path leading forward.
Ho, Fan. Children’s Paradise. 1959. M+, Hong Kong.
“The Living Theatre — Fan Ho Photography.” Fan Ho Photography, fanho-forgetmenot.com/the-living-theatre-1.
