Image of the Week #7: Jason Tsay

“I always strive to use compositional elements like lines and symmetry while shooting.”

— Jason Tsay

Jason Tsay - Kodak Portra 400 NC+

Wow! As someone who swoons over symmetry and alignment, I'm in awe! Can you tell us how this shot came about?

Thanks, Ellen! My photographer friend Art Chang was in town, so we decided to meet up at Salk Institute. After exploring the grounds a bit, I knew I had to get "that shot" of the incredibly symmetrical architecture. Most photos you see of Salk Institute are taken in broad daylight, but I wanted to see some soft light bounce off the walls at sunset. It wasn't easy with the swarms of visitors and the pressure of the institute's closing time, but my patience paid off when I got the clear shot. The man striding by is actually a bit of a happy accident.

Do you always shoot with such attention to lines and composition?

I try! I feel like the little details are what set visually intriguing photos apart, so I always strive to use compositional elements like lines and symmetry while shooting.

What gear did you use and how did you process the image?

I captured this shot with the Leica T and its kit lens at 18mm. My processing in Lightroom involved the Kodak Portra 400 NC+ preset from VSCO Film 02 and various tweaks. 

Where are you headed in 2015?

One of my goals this year is to get better at taking photos of people. Maybe I'll have some portrait work to share with the Looks Like Film community soon. Thanks for the feature! 

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