The Edge Of Focus

The Edge of Focus explores the balance between attentive observation and letting go, being present enough to notice detail, but open enough to allow improvisation and chance to shape the outcome.

Both works were developed from observational walks through Spaarndammerbuurt and Westerpark in Amsterdam, using everyday encounters as starting points for experimental image-making. They translate found moments into layered digital compositions, where perception is continuously negotiated between control and accident.

Play What Is Not There begins with a photograph taken outside the Polanentheater, a jazz venue in my neighbourhood. Inspired by the improvisational nature of jazz, the image was manipulated to evoke rhythm and movement. During the process, a technical glitch introduced block-like fragments into the image, which were later integrated into the composition. These interruptions became a central visual device, echoing Miles Davis’ idea to “play what is not there,” and reinforcing the role of chance and unpredictability in the work. Within The Edge of Focus, this piece leans toward release, where structure begins to loosen and improvisation takes over.

In contrast, Parrot Spotted originates from an encounter with a green parrot in Westerpark. The editing process mirrors the act of noticing itself, building emphasis through repetition, texture and colour. Within The Edge of Focus, this work sits on the opposite end of the spectrum, rooted in heightened awareness and precision, where attention is sharp enough to catch a fleeting moment in real time.

While distinct in subject matter, both posters are connected through their use of chance encounters, whether technological or environmental, as active collaborators in the design process. Each work transforms a fleeting moment into a constructed visual system, where observation is reinterpreted through manipulation and meaning emerges through both control and accident. Together, they define The Edge of Focus as a space between seeing and letting go, where clarity and disruption coexist in the final image.