I took these photos during the pandemic where many parts of the world were in lockdown and many people were under emotional distress. Loneliness and separation anxiety were becoming prevalent in society.

At the time of shooting, I wasn’t really thinking about those issues. Instead, I was simply trying to create something enjoyable and a distraction from the overwhelming news. But maybe deep inside, I was looking for an act of healing.

How do I capture a delicate feeling? How do I tell a story using only a few images? And how do I make it easy to understand and relate to? Those were some of the questions I asked myself.

In the end, I produced only a handful of images that I was satisfied with. As a series, it was designed to be a narrative but also in resemblance to memory fragments.

The End

I want to start with a photo that looks like an ending scene, as they are pieces of memory and we often recall things from the past in no particular order.

For some, this photo has a sense of hopelessness and desperation, for a few reasons: Although in a center-focused composition, the subject appears insignificant in front of the ocean. The dark blue and gray colors in the shadows create a grim atmosphere. And the subject walking away from the viewers with stiff arms really conveys the despondent mental state she’s in.

I also have a particular interest in photographing people from behind. Sometimes when the subject is facing away from the camera, it invites the viewer to take on their perspectives and investigate what’s on their minds.

The Moment

In the second photo, we introduce another character to extend the story. Although we’re unsure of the nature of their relationship, this seems to be a defining moment of their story. It is a photo in which I want some conflict and drama between the two characters.

Having them stare at each other would be an obvious choice, but it seems to create way too much tension in practice. Instead, I push the character on the right slightly into the background by having them stand in parallel and face in opposite directions to the sun. The character on the left is more visible with a ray of sunlight, while the character on the right is covered in shadows and less in focus. The softened character also appears somewhat unreal, like imagination. By lowering their heads, I also dial back the confrontation and lead the viewer’s attention to the characters’ thoughts and feelings.

The Dance

As the two characters lean on each other in a slow dance, I want to leave the interaction as ambiguous as it is. It doesn’t matter if they are friends, lovers, or sisters. What’s important is the complete trust they have in each other.

The tricky part of this photo is again balancing the two characters in the frame. While the composition draws the viewer’s attention straight to the closed eyelid of the character in the back, the focus actually lands on the ear of the character in the front. I like this arrangement as now the two characters are equally represented. The focus on the ear also makes it very intimate, as those are the small details we notice when we’re in close contact with someone.

The Beginning

In the last photo, we completely shift to the other character’s perspective. It could be the end of their time together but also the beginning of something else. Again, the story is open to interpretation and there isn’t a concrete timeline.

The photo is clearly overexposed. The sunlight is so strong that everything in the picture is washed out. As she raises her head to be showered by the harsh sunlight, her skin looks pale and somewhat translucent. The buildings from afar are completely diminished, and her whole surroundings are in a blur.

When I’m about to delete it, I realize it feels just like recovering from a difficult time, when we finally decide to let go of the things holding us back and embrace whatever life has in store for us. No matter how dark yesterday was, tomorrow can still be bright.

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What made these photos work was a combination of dramatic lighting, careful composition, and ambiguous storytelling. To make the lighting dramatic, I pushed for a bold contrast between the highlights and shadows, to the extent of over-and under-exposure. The composition was pivotal because it not only accentuated the characters but defined their dynamic. And the ambiguity was an effective way to piece together a story using only a few images, as the viewer can fill in the gaps with their imaginations.

I named this series "Patience", because some of the best things in life come out of it, no matter how unattainable they might seem. To me, patience isn’t just suffering in silence. It is discipline, like the tiny steps we take each day to accomplish a goal. It is elegance, like the calm manner in which we treat a loved one. And it is endurance, like the courage we use to find hope time and time again.

A Photo Series About Longing