Light has always been seen as a symbol of hope, truth, and enlightenment. On the other hand, inside the shadows lurk the evil, the unknown, and mystery. Together, they form life. They convey a feeling, a mood, a sense of depth and illusion. Most importantly, they also tell stories of their own. In every corner of our life, they capture moments that reflect the individual existence amongst society.
The same is with my final set of photographs. Rather changing from my initial goal of capturing people and nature, my trip evolved into using light as a key to tell a story. Throughout these images, I used a variety of techniques to emphasize the ordinary’s existence, one which is typically overlooked by most.
1.
This image shows 2 people walking across a calm alleyway amidst the Hutong, with traditional Chinese walled courtyards and fences making up the background. The pedestrians, of which only silhouette is captured, are obscured of specific features and details, with their outlines standing out against the dull grey tone of the image. Just like any other ordinary person in the Hutongs, they remain unnoticed, with what is their shadows rather capturing the attention of the viewer.
The sharp contrast between colors is what makes the image eye-catching, evoking feelings of mysteriousness but also calmness, setting off a sense for the thick atmosphere of urban life. The deep darkness of the shadows of the people acts as a narrative element which the viewer’s attention is attracted to, while the natural light shining on the background emphasizes and carries on the story of the subjects. In the process of editing, I also added brilliance and further exposure to highlight the subject and intensity of colors through increasing contrast between the shadows of people and lighting on the buildings and negative space in the background.
Composition plays a important role in the image, balancing the foreground and background elements while adding attention to the subject. Leading lines created by the cars and wall on the right and left hand side lead towards the heads of the pedestrians, suggesting the fluid dynamic lifestyle of Beijing through a feeling of peace amongst the bustling metropolises outside the Hutongs. Furthermore, the subjects of the image are concentrated in the bottom center square of the image, rather not common, but creating a more natural distribution of elements across the image through the rule of thirds and symmetry across the center, this alignment emphasizing the little power ordinary people hold under society and how they squeeze in in finding their own role and position.
There is also a slight focus on the background which makes the subjects rather blurred while adding some details of textures and shapes of the buildings behind, showing stability of the environment but also how fragile and insignificant people are under its power. Faceless and with no features seen, the image finds an interesting juxtaposition between the people and well lit, high saturated background, in which the subject is just a mere shadow of the vibrant setting.
2.
This photograph captures a setting similar to the previous, with the silhouettes of an old man on his bike and pedestrians on an alleyway contrasted with the strongly saturated background lighting, which resembles an overall grey tone set to the piece. The bicycle and people situated in the photo all appear in constant movement, but rather not one of rush and hurry, but in a state peacefulness and orderly manner, capturing a slow paced version of traditional Chinese lifestyle.
Lighting is the most important component of the image. I was standing in a slightly darkened region of the alleyway which was just able to capture people transition from the lit up part of the street to the shadows, therefore resembling little to no facial features of the subjects, leaving the photograph with a simple but meaningful dark outline of the people, setting up a state of unknownness and vibrancy. On the othe hand, the background of the image is rather intense and of higher saturation, resembling the warmness of the morning light on the Hutongs. This contrast between light and shadows is symbolic in the case, suggesting a journey of progress and change throughout illuminated spaces of hope and shadows of challenges and loss.
Focus and perspective also play an important roles in the image. The initial photograph used wide lenses and a focus on the main subjects-the people-therefore blurring the background behind. On the other hand, the overall perspective is of eye-level, with leading lines created by the wall and sidewalk pointed the pedestrians on the right as a vanishing point, classifying as a linear perspective. Even though being 2 completely different fields of photography, the focus and perspective work together to focus the viewer’s attention on the subjects and letting it obtain an immersive impact, as if the viewer was on site witnessing the moment take place, building a special connection between the photograph and the audience. This brings upon a cordial effect, allowing for a deeper dive through the nostalgia and sense of age of the image.
The triangle composition of the photograph should also be noted, which can be seen through linking the heads of the 3 main subjects, adding dynamism and energy to the image while ensuring balance and stability between the points of interest (subjects). The rule of thirds can also be seen through the biker, for which his body falls upon the left vertical line, emphasizing his story throughout the composition of the image.
3.
While captured at the same setting, this image differs from the previous 2 by the choices of lighting and shadows. It features two old men walking down the street, being lit up by the sunlight and a typical Hutong setting as a background. The reason for choosing this photo is due to the contrast between the gazes of the men, with one looking serious and stern towards the front, eyes covered by a mysterious shadow formed by his cap, while the other looks rather confused, looking far in the distance, forming an interesting juxtaposition between the two.
Once again, the image focuses on lighting as a major component. Most of the image is lit up by sunlight, revealing the neutral, earthy color tone formed by the brown, dark blue, and grey, transmitting feelings of stability, contemplation, and hinting the calmness and uneventful urban lifestyle. On the other hand, the background seems to be covered in shadows which add depth and dimension to the overall piece, enhancing the previous emphasis on the main subject. Then, there is this interesting shadow covering one man’s gaze, which poses as a contrast to the previous emotions mentioned. It gives off a feeling of isolation, mysteriousness, possibly reflecting some emotional weight the man is facing, all of which the viewer can connect themselves to, making the overall contrast between emotions successful, linking and attracting viewers to the photo.
Editing was also crucial to this image. Adding saturation and brilliance increased the overall definition and made colors more intention. At first, the colors of the image were all too dull to me eye-catching. However, increasing color intensity made the subjects stand out from the rest of the elements. Cropping was also key to enhance the composition. I made the highlight of the image-the glaze of the first man, stand at the intersection points of the four top left grids, therefore taking it to a position which would make it more noticeable at first glance.
As a part of showing a true candid shot, these 3 photos were all taken at the same position. I waited for long periods of time and took photos at passing people to capture true expressions and emotions the Beijing community would have in their everyday life. This one stood out so much due to its clever combination of lighting and shadows while the people didn’t even may attention to the camera at such a close distance taking an image, immersed in their inner thoughts and emotions. This tells a deeper story than others, showing a contrast between hidden anger and innocence of confusion, a mix of emotions under the same lenses that shows the inner struggles people face in the modern society.