A Shadow

Shot with the Leica M9, this image is a study in discretion and the poetics of presence. The figure in the foreground is reduced to a silhouette, his back turned to the viewer, his face never revealed. He absorbs the frame. The street scene beyond—colourful, lively, and teeming with out-of-focus activity—contrasts sharply with his opaque stillness.

Technically, the decision to expose for the highlights in the background rather than lifting the shadows in the foreground was intentional. I wanted the viewer to feel like an outsider—watching someone who is, himself, watching. The bokeh from the streetlamps adds texture without stealing attention, while the shallow depth of field, aided by the M9’s CCD sensor’s signature tonal rendering, maintains the sense of detachment.

The composition places the figure slightly off-centre, avoiding symmetry but creating a firm visual anchor. This isn’t a photo about identity or action; it’s about roles—protector, observer, stranger. By withholding detail in the subject’s face and clothing, the image avoids sentimentality. We don’t need to know who he is. We only need to recognise the posture.

In the end, the shot functions like a noir frame frozen mid-narrative—moody, impenetrable, and charged with suggestion.