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A corner of an alley with a peak of sunlight, an empty seat near the window at a diner, or an empty dock where the water reflects the blue sky, all become my “what-ifs” for a fictional character that I imagine to be doing at that time, date, and space. The photographic medium allows me to execute my imaginations and narratives into reality by capturing parts of my memory or visions that only I could see though my head. I’ve always been so fascinated with cinematography, especially stills extracted from scenes in films that do not only demonstrate all the core elements of photography, but also the storytelling element behind the visual image.

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This body of work intends to emulate the imagery of cinema by putting a great amount of attention to detail to its composition, balance, character and prop position, and lighting direction to convey a narrative. The real core of my photography is juxtaposition — it is a perfect way for me to tell a story through visual elements as it plays an effective role in manifesting an idea or a concept among viewers. As such, the obscurity behind the girl dressed in unusual semi-formal attire, incompatible with the casual and light atmosphere of an ordinary local diner, raises questions about this mysterious subject and the story behind this character. The use of juxtaposition for storytelling is no exception, for the other photograph, where the subject is alone at a dock, wearing a party outfit and eating cake, also illustrates contrast between the enthusiasm evoked visually, and the relatively melancholy mood behind the fact that she is not accompanied by anyone to join this meaningful celebration. These photographs were carefully staged and designed for a desired look to evoke a certain mood or emotion. The photographs were not created to tell an existing story, despite their intentionally crafted nature, but, in fact, to recreate moments that seem to be part of a critical scene in a narrative, open for the viewers to interpret their own story behind the photographs.