The Light
From this photoshoot I was able to encounter the sunset in my corner of the room, which is my studio. The season was gradually starting to wear spring and the sun was becoming longer and brighter. As usual I was on my 5th photoshoot, and the sunlight was definitely a surprise that I did not expect. I remember the light was so soft but bright, touching the side of my face slowly, almost if it was shy to intrude my shoot. But I welcomed with both my arms open and moved my position according to where the sun was moving. The streak on my eye gave me a haze as if the world was full of fog of light; in the beginning I was not sure how to deal with such direct light but I’ve always wanted to photograph with direct sunset sunlight which I put all my focus on that last few minutes. I loved the warmth of the light lingering on my cheek, shoulder and neck, and I knew this photoshoot was going to shift in plane because of this touch. Ever since the next photoshoots I waited for the light and moved accordingly, like a light catcher.
The Life
It wasn’t until recent where I seriously started to think about light in my photography; for the longest time it felt like I have been chasing it with such a distance. I always photographed where the light is without any artificial light as possible, my first ever photoshoots were outdoors in the daylight. The natural attraction always mean something and makes me reflect; growing up my teenage period in Korea, the room that I had with mom had one window. Probably big as three letter size papers. Nevertheless of day and night, the room was dark. Those times were the times when I felt most unstable and insecure, which the room felt darker and darker. Then I moved to Oklahoma, and all I could find was fields with open space to hug so much sunlight. I ran around our backyard, in Glenpool, with my puppy with my camera to investigate wild flowers. Because I know the darkness in terms of physical and mental, I know how light is inevitable in my life. Time passed and I still strive to find the right amount of light that reflects the soul. Because light is the life, we try to naturally go closer, sometimes draw further out because of the bareness, but eventually go closer again.
I thought this dress was perfect for absorbing the warm light of the day, also the liveliness of the color palette matched the plants to replicate the garden that is always in my dreams. Maybe because of that attraction to the light, I do not carry barely any black or gray clothing in my closet. I believe what is dark in my head and soul is enough to carry in life, not necessary in clothes (laugh). The sunlight was in my room for a very long time. My room felt like a yellow fog. I thought I heard birds singing. Patches of life were sitting on my curtains, chair, carpet, and in the air.
There was true light
I had been told several times that my photographs are warm. Also it has a certain haziness. Recently I am trying to enhance that, through film, prism, double layouts, and color scheming. I believe we need more light in our lives. Life has the true words, and the true words indicates the savior that gives us life. We reject and decline the savior part because it is unseen, but it is the only way to life. We always want life, but not the savior. But the light that we see everyday for granted, is echoing the truth of the light. The light is in your bedroom, kitchen, balcony, whispering the true life that you are looking for. True light. And the light catcher. It’s just a beginning of all.
Film
