As I observe the pedestrian continuum passing by me, I recall a line from Hermann Hesse’s *Siddhartha*: “Nothing was, nothing will be, everything has reality and presence.”

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When I moved from Germany to the U.S., my world  transformed seamlessly from muted gray to bursts of color— from sameness to a tapestry of differences. In Rallentando, I explore visual recollections and peripheral perception of serendipitous street encounters. Subjects drift in and out of focus—a downward gaze, a hand carrying a cake, a lock of curly hair—fleeting yet intimate glimpses of everyday life. With my camera, I quiet the noise of New York’s bustling streets, transforming pedestrians passing by into musical notes within the symphony of everyday life— rallentando, a gradual slowing of tempo.

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I sequence these images—captured in varying stages of clarity—to reveal the city street as a systematic collection of impressions. I organize the grids by color—red brick, green construction fencing, a yellow-lit window—urban backdrops that weave subjects together. These hues form a connective thread, remind us that we are more alike than different, that individual experiences exist as fragments of a greater whole.

Photography serves as my meditation and as a reminder, to be mindful through heightened awareness. It grounds me in the present, shifting my focus away from the weight of the past or the pull of the future. My pictures allow viewers to re-contextualize the chaos of the city into something that opens their eyes to everyday moments of beauty. Through its focus on candid moments in public spaces, Rallentando suggests that the distinctiveness of individuals within a communal space can build a harmonious composition.