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At Night We Awaken
At Night We Awaken
Dzesika Devic
November 6, 2020
By photographing at night, the Canadian, Dzesika Devic, tries to capture remnants of the day, wondering what happened in a particular spot before night came. The images convey a feeling of quiet, happiness and loneliness.
LFI:How did the series come about? What state of mind were you in back then?
Dzesika Devic: The series came about for various reasons. I had a hard time sleeping for a while, so my husband and I would go out driving or for walks late at night or in the very early morning. I also felt very timid at times photographing people in the street during the daytime. There was a long stretch of feeling timid; so photographing at night gave me the solace of knowing I was still able to create something, despite feeling shy. The process of finding these locations and taking time to compose the photographs, also allowed me time to run with my imagination. The scenes looked like they hold remnants and stories of the previous day. It made me wonder what happened that day. There is a sense of quiet contentment in night scenes, that I feel particularly drawn to.
What camera did you use and why?
I used my Leica M (Typ 240). The design of the camera and the large viewfinder allow me to execute the exact composition I have in mind. Something about this camera gives a very three dimensional feel to the photograph, that I can’t achieve with another camera. My lens is a Summicron 35mm f/2 that was part of a small group of lenses manufactured in Midland Ontario in 1969. This lens in particular brought me to a whole new style of photography. When shot at f/2, the edges within the photograph are not incredibly sharp and give off a ghostly effect. For this series, I took advantage of the “imperfections” this lens has to offer.
Any technical hints of photographing at night?
Don’t be scared to bump your ISO up high. Grain isn’t something you need to be afraid of. Even if the scene is extremely dark, as long as you have one source of light, you can create a decently lit, sharp photograph, without a tripod. Also don’t be afraid to experiment. Sometimes there is no source of light. Leave your shutter open, and if you can’t keep your camera still - embrace the blur. You could stumble onto something that you wouldn’t have chosen to create.
Denise KlinkLFI:How did the series come about? What state of mind were you in back then?
Dzesika Devic: The series came about for various reasons. I had a hard time sleeping for a while, so my husband and I would go out driving or for walks late at night or in the very early morning. I also felt very timid at times photographing people in the street during the daytime. There was a long stretch of feeling timid; so photographing at night gave me the solace of knowing I was still able to create something, despite feeling shy. The process of finding these locations and taking time to compose the photographs, also allowed me time to run with my imagination. The scenes looked like they hold remnants and stories of the previous day. It made me wonder what happened that day. There is a sense of quiet contentment in night scenes, that I feel particularly drawn to.
What camera did you use and why?
I used my Leica M (Typ 240). The design of the camera and the large viewfinder allow me to execute the exact composition I have in mind. Something about this camera gives a very three dimensional feel to the photograph, that I can’t achieve with another camera. My lens is a Summicron 35mm f/2 that was part of a small group of lenses manufactured in Midland Ontario in 1969. This lens in particular brought me to a whole new style of photography. When shot at f/2, the edges within the photograph are not incredibly sharp and give off a ghostly effect. For this series, I took advantage of the “imperfections” this lens has to offer.
Any technical hints of photographing at night?
Don’t be scared to bump your ISO up high. Grain isn’t something you need to be afraid of. Even if the scene is extremely dark, as long as you have one source of light, you can create a decently lit, sharp photograph, without a tripod. Also don’t be afraid to experiment. Sometimes there is no source of light. Leave your shutter open, and if you can’t keep your camera still - embrace the blur. You could stumble onto something that you wouldn’t have chosen to create.
ALL IMAGES ON THIS PAGE: © Dzesika Devic
Dzesika Devic+-
The young photographer was born in Ontario, Canada, and currently lives in Toronto. As an autodidact, she works with both analogue and digital photography, depending on the situation and mood. In 2007, she received her first camera and began to take an interest in photographing objects of everyday life, travel and portraits. Her fascination for photography has grown ever since. Her work covers a wide range of subjects and media, but storytelling runs like a thread through it all. More
