Snapshot

Top 9

Final

Reflection

After editing my photos, I was really surprised by how well the contrast and black-and-white grainy texture were presented. Although my work isn’t a perfect replica of my reference artist’s style and composition, it reflects my own interpretation within a different place and time. These differences allowed me to capture the uncles of the Hutongs in a distinctly local and cultural context.

At first, I was worried that I couldn’t find people who would allow me photograph them, especially while they were engaged in activities that might be considered “rule-breaking.”, but it turns out that these uncles are all too concentrated on doing their own thing barely noticing the camera, which gives me a chance to photograph them naturally, from a closed distance, creating a sense of quiet tension in the images.

In my first image, an uncle smokes while playing poker in a public park, ignoring the people around him. In my second image, another walks through a crowded street with a cigarette in his mouth, showing little concern for others. In my last image, the swimmer climbs down into a lake where swimming is prohibited, disrupting the calm and safety of the area. These moments I photographed perfectly portray my intention: people acting without awareness of rules or consequences, as if “no one is watching”.