Countersniping

The lens meets a lens. Framed by rusted beams and peeling walls, the photographer at the centre of the image takes aim with his camera, returning the gaze. The graffiti around him, the fire extinguisher sign, the rough concrete surfaces, all belong to a decayed environment, yet the act of photographing transforms it into theatre. It becomes a duel of sightlines—one click against another.

Composition directs attention without ambiguity. The eye is pulled straight to the figure at the back, the camera lens perfectly aligned to confront the viewer. The foreground, with its blurred metal structures, creates a visual crosshair. This layering enforces the theme of surveillance, ambush, and reciprocity.

Technically, exposure balances the dim, uneven light well. The background wall retains detail in both graffiti and decay, while the figure remains clear enough to hold dominance in the frame. Focus is precise on the camera and eyes, leaving the surrounding barriers softened just enough to simulate concealment. Colours are subdued, mostly greens, browns, and greys, which reinforce the mood of abandonment and urban grit.

The image succeeds by collapsing roles. Subject and photographer mirror each other, hunter and hunted at once. In this exchange, photography itself becomes an act of countersniping—visibility turned into vulnerability.