Floating

This image was born out of a fascination with stillness in the midst of implied movement. The mannequin — suspended, curled, caught in an almost foetal position — seems to drift within a capsule that looks as though it could be orbiting somewhere far beyond Earth. The large, circular light behind it could be a porthole, a hatch, or simply a stage light; its blinding white obscures what might be beyond, giving the scene a surreal, detached quality.

Technically, the biggest challenge was exposure. The extreme contrast between the brilliant backlight and the darker figure risked losing detail on both ends. I chose to protect the highlights, letting the shadows deepen while ensuring enough tonal information remained to keep the black suit from dissolving into a featureless mass. The reflective surfaces added another layer of difficulty, as the glass picked up faint traces of the city outside — a reminder that this space capsule is firmly earthbound, likely in a shop window.

Compositionally, the frame leans heavily on the circle — a dominant anchor that pulls the viewer’s gaze straight to the figure’s contorted pose. The padded wall panels to the right add texture and depth, while the curvature of the capsule’s side gives a slight fisheye effect that enhances the sense of enclosure. The perspective is tight, almost claustrophobic, yet the subject appears serene.

It’s a photograph that walks the line between staged commercial display and something more suggestive, perhaps even metaphorical — floating, yes, but inside a space you can’t leave.

The Panasonic TZ100 is a very good travel camera. Its one-inch sensor allows a fair balance between performance and portability. Being slightly bigger of trendy smartphones, this camera delivers a way more better results.