U Got the Look

Two pairs of eyes meet as they cross paths with each other; a brief glance that is over in a millisecond. Strangers remain strangers – and yet, for a moment, everything has been said. Every day, dozens of pairs of eyes connect – at times more intimate, at times less; at times for a few minutes, at times just a few seconds. Our LFI Gallery photographers and their cameras have revealed episodes that the eye only brushes over for an instant: commuters at a train window; fleeting scenes along the way; or a street cat at play. 

1. Mi Lu
“This photo was taken in Jeju City, Jeju Island, South Korea. As I passed by a bridge, two children were gazing into the distance. I found the scenery in the distance was beautiful, so I decided to capture this scene. Just as I was about to shoot, the two children turned around and looked at me, their features entering the frame. Their facial expressions were simple and innocent, and I instinctively felt that this was a portrait photo full of emotion. Without hesitation, I pressed the shutter button. Black and white vividly portrays facial expressions and enhances the emotions in a picture.”

2. Kieron Long
“I was out in Bau, Malaysia, on one of my regular weekend photo walks. As I strolled along the high street, I came across a busy garage. There were three mechanics repairing motorbikes on the pavement in front of the workshop. I asked them if I could take their portraits – they gave me their OK. When I came to the mechanic in the photo, he asked me: “Are you ready?” I replied: “Ready for what?” He then surprised me with this incredible feat, putting one leg behind his head, demonstrating he was as flexible as a yoga instructor. And, with his leg still behind his head, he continued repairing the motorcycle. I was amazed by his elasticity and happy to capture such an unusual scene.”

3. Stephen Song
“This photograph was taken in Paris. What pushed me to raise the camera was the sheer intensity of these two figures. Their appearance was raw, defiant, almost theatrical. In street photography, I look for encounters where reality seems to stage itself. What this scene triggers in me is both admiration and melancholy. Admiration, because their radical self-expression carries the spirit of Anders Petersen’s Café Lehmitz. Melancholy, because every act of rebellion also reveals fragility, a quiet search for identity and belonging. In the end, the image is not just about two young people. It’s also about Paris itself, a city that has always staged human theatre.”

4. Ping Chen
“This image was captured at a brick factory on the outskirts of Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh. By the time I arrived, dusk was approaching and the factory workers had already finished their shift. The workers’ living quarters are situated within the factory grounds, where many were washing themselves with water at the time. I noticed a young woman approaching with a bucket to fetch water: her orange dress and green scarf stood out vividly. The moment she sensed someone behind her and turned her head, I pressed the shutter. I believe this captures a truly authentic scene of a worker’s daily life.”

5. Edita Carolan
“While waiting for a bus in a quiet southern Sri Lankan town, I spotted a girl looking out from a departing coach, her expression full of curiosity. I took the photo at the moment our eyes met – a fleeting connection that captures the charm of street photography.”​​​​​​​

6. Mingzu Liu
“When I noticed this scene, I was reminded of Elliott Erwitt’s famous theme of dogs and human legs. The cats were waiting expectantly outside the shop, one of them stretching lazily while another fixed its eyes on my camera. I felt this was the right instant to capture. This scene triggers curiosity, coincidence, fleetingness, and the unknown, which I constantly seek in street photography. I try to remain “hungry” for images – just like the cats, waiting for food outside the fish shop.”

7. Jihoon Kim
“A lot of photographers had been waiting for the biggest fireworks festival in Busan.  And we had to wait for a long time. One person made an interesting expression by pulling down his mouth, and I didn’t want to miss the moment, so I took this picture. I take pictures with great interest in people’s facial expressions, gestures, and actions. I think every human being can become a photographic model while pursuing naturalness.”

8. James Bridges
“Jameson and I have been neighbours for over a year. He is non-verbal and this is the only time that he has been present with me. His universe must be a beautiful place as he is always smiling and laughing. I’m glad that we were able to share the same world if only for a brief moment through the magic of photography.”

9. Payman Hazheer
“I’m doing a long time project about Stockholm, covering different subcultures and also spending a lot of time in the city center, where many kids hang out during the weekends. I came across these kids and I thought that their look and the way they were just hanging around was quite like kids during the 90s. There were no phones; they just hung out.”