Diamonds are forever

Edmond Leong

July 2, 2024

The young artist considers his home town of Kuala Lumpur, a hot spot for photography: a number of times a week, he wanders through the city streets and stumbles across impressive motifs – like the one of the woman with the diamond.
“Daido Moriyama's photography has always served as a guiding light for me, inspiring my approach to capturing the essence of urban life, and shaping my own artistic vision and approach to storytelling through photography.

In September 2023, in the vibrant streets of Kuala Lumpur, I found myself immersed in the city's energy, camera in hand, eager to encapsulate its essence. As the sun bathed the urban cityscape, I stumbled upon a captivating scene – a towering poster featuring a black woman holding a diamond, ripe with potential for reflection. Yet, a challenge presented itself: how to capture the delicate play of light and shadow. The tree frame within the lady's grasp whispered of symmetry and balance, pushing me to uncover the hidden beauty. With each step through the streets, I pursued the perfect angle, experimenting with the perspective to blend nature's reflections with urban life. I change the aperture on the lens to F6.8 to capture both the lady and the trees in focus.

Ultimately, it wasn't just about capturing an image – it was about freezing a feeling, an impression, a story suspended in time.”
Text and image: © Edmond Leong
EQUIPMENT: Leica M10-R with Voigtlander Ultron 28 f/2 II

LFI 5.2024+-

Find out more about the work of Edmond Leong in LFI Magazine 5.2024. More

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© Edmond Leong

The photographer was born in 2003 and grew up in Kuala Lumpur. He has focussed on street photography for the past three years. He was the winner of the Bronze Medal in the “Street and Animals” Single Category at the 2022 Paris International Street Photo Awards. Working with the Zontiga photography platform allows him to help local, creative communities, and get to know other artistic perspectives. More

 

Diamonds are forever

Edmond Leong