The Way Out

There is something about an open window that always draws me in—not for what lies beyond, but for the threshold it represents. This frame was taken from inside a dimly lit room, the glass swung outward, offering a partial view of a Parisian-style zinc roof, punctuated by a small chimney vent.

The decision to work in black and white came naturally; the textures and tonal contrasts were far more compelling than any colour the scene might have offered. The geometry of the roof panels and the window frame gave me strong lines to play with, and the skewed perspective from shooting slightly off-centre added a subtle tension to the composition.

Light was scarce inside, but abundant outside, so the challenge was to balance exposure without blowing out the roof details or losing the shadowed interior entirely. I metered for the brighter mid-tones, letting the deepest shadows inside the room fall away into near-black. This choice frames the window opening almost like a portal, drawing the viewer’s gaze outward.

It’s a simple image, almost understated, but to me it captures a moment of quiet observation—one of those pauses when the world outside feels both reachable and remote, and the act of looking becomes an end in itself.