3rd Place winner
Her Absence
DESCRIPTION
Under the soft light where pink and blue gently meet, my mother’s handbag rests in stillness. It is an ordinary object, yet now it feels like the last gentle touch she left behind. Through light, I tried to bring her presence back into the space of absence. The bag may be empty, but within it lingers her scent, her kindness, and her quiet, wordless love.My still-life photography begins with the belongings of my mother who is no longer here. The small things she once used in her everyday life reappear — quiet traces of her presence within her absence.
Through the harmony of color, light, and composition, I hope these ordinary objects become emotional spaces, carrying memories that words cannot hold. They are not mere things, but echoes of love, longing, and the lingering breath of time. This is not a story of what has disappeared, but of what still remains — the traces of love and time that endure.
AUTHOR
With over 20 years of experience behind the lens, I capture the beauty of the world through its landscapes, the people I encounter on the streets, and the quiet poetry of everyday objects.Even when something is not grand or glamorous, I strive to reveal its hidden story — a story that belongs only to that moment.
Through my photography, I seek to preserve memories and express love — not just by freezing time, but by sharing the timeless narratives that connect us all. For me, photography is more than capturing a fleeting scene; it’s about discovering the enduring stories that have always been there, waiting to be seen.
EDUCATION
2019 – present Korea Aesthetic Photograph Academy, Private Academy, Seoul, Korea
2013 – present Full member of The Photo Artists Society of Korea
2020 Certificate Program of Teaching Photography, School of Lifelong Education, Gachon University, Korea.
2009 Certificate Program of Photography, School of Lifelong Education, Kaywon University of Art & Design, Korea.
1981 – 1985 Bachelor of Japanese Language and Literature, Chung-Ang University, Korea.
