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Analysis of Subjectivity and Objectivity in the Photography Series "Broken Long-Distance Relationship"

Subjectivity

1. Personal Emotional Projection

- The work consistently employs a first-person perspective (with the artist appearing as model), directly conveying the creator's pain and regret through body language (e.g., waving during video calls) and object selection (specific flight tickets, printed chat logs).

- Symbolic techniques:

Broken mirror: Not documentary but a deliberate emotional metaphor, visually transforming "relationship breakdown" into violent imagery.

Torn tickets: Externalizing the internal decision-making process through destruction of physical objects, with strong performative qualities.

2. Narrative Control

- Selective presentation: Only shows romanticized struggles ("video calls", "flight tickets") while omitting specific breakup reasons (e.g., arguments), guiding viewers to empathize with "helplessness" rather than "right or wrong".

- Temporal compression: Condenses a year-long long-distance relationship into 5 photos, constructing a linear tragic narrative through "chat logs - tickets - empty chairs" to reinforce a sense of predestined failure.

Objectivity

1. Medium Materiality

- Technical details like pixelated video calls and printed fonts on tickets reflect the reality of long-distance relationships.

- Social media interfaces (WeChat/WhatsApp) in chat screenshots provide verifiable spatiotemporal references.

- Empty chairs and fragments emphasize the objective fact of "physical separation" rather than subjective feelings.

2. Social Evidence

- The work inadvertently documents common experiences of transnational couples:

* Time zone differences (juxtaposed London/NY clocks in photos)

* Economic costs (accumulated tickets as evidence of consumerism)

Interaction Between Subjectivity and Objectivity

- Pseudo-documentary paradox:

While appearing as "authentic documentation" (using personal belongings), it actually reconstructs memories through staged photography (e.g., the frozen quality of time-lapse shots).

- Audience interpretation:

Objective elements (e.g., number of flights) may be quantitatively interpreted differently across cultures - "Are 6 flights many or few?", while subjective elements (broken mirror) trigger universal resonance.

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After the personal tutorial, I decided to use my own real story. The theme is: A Shattered Long-Distance Relationship.

My ex-boyfriend and I tried to maintain a long-distance relationship for a year—he was studying in New York while I was in London—but it ultimately ended in a breakup. I want to tell the story of how incredibly difficult it was: we could only see each other through video calls every day, and most of our communication relied on texting. To keep the relationship alive, we flew back and forth between each other's countries many times. Yet, no matter how many messages we sent or how many plane tickets we accumulated, we couldn’t overcome the challenges. Living in different countries, adapting to different environments, and struggling with opposite time zones—these realities were unavoidable, and in the end, our story concluded with regret.

To visualize this, I want to depict the two of us reflected in a shattered mirror, symbolizing our broken relationship. Finally, I’ll use two empty chairs with torn-up plane tickets scattered over them to represent the definitive end of our love—the moment we chose to part ways for good.

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Russian artist Karman Verdi used projectors to simulate the feeling of having someone by his side, naming this series "There Are So Many Ghosts at My Spot."

A long-distance relationship is like a spiritual practice—in every way possible. Dining with her, bathing with her, folding her clothes... In these whimsical virtual dialogues, Karman dissolves the boundary between loneliness and intimacy, yet a tinge of melancholy lingers.

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In 1992, British artist Paul Sermon was commissioned by the Finnish Telecommunications Agency to create a groundbreaking new media artwork—*Telematic Dreaming*. This visionary piece ingeniously utilized the then-cutting-edge ISDN digital network (a communication technology capable of transmitting voice, data, video, and fax over a single line) to bridge two locations thousands of kilometers apart.

For the installation, Sermon set up cameras above beds in two remote sites, meticulously adjusting their angles to capture clear images of the individuals lying on them. These visuals were transmitted via ISDN lines, converted into analog video signals through digital imaging technology, and then projected onto the opposing bed and monitor. As a result, people on separate beds in distant locations could see each other in real time—physically apart yet visually together, creating an illusion of shared space and interaction.

Though this form of communication couldn’t replicate physical touch, it fulfilled a visual desire for remote connection, offering audiences at the time a revolutionary way to transcend geographical barriers. The work not only demonstrated the limitless potential of new media art but also foreshadowed the widespread role of networked technology in human interaction. Thirty years later, looking back at Telematic Dreaming, we see how it expanded human relationships from physical to virtual spaces—while also prompting profound reflections on the ethics and spatial dynamics between humans and remote virtual counterparts.

Image credits: Paul Sermon, Welcome.jpeg

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In the morning, I went to the darkroom to practice developing film. In the afternoon, I listened to other people's final project ideas during the group tutorial. Each one was very novel and unique. But I encountered problems. The first was that I didn't do much research on my final project. The second was that I was still vague about my final project. I didn't have a specific theme or meaning to express.

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I finished the headshots on the dummy, white background plate and black background plate.I invited my classmates to help me complete the motion shooting

I continued to practice how to develop film. Then I thought about the inspiration for the final project and collected relevant photography materials that interested me.

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I regrettably missed the first three weeks of photography classes. During the make-up classes, I was pleasantly surprised to discover the unique charm of photography art - the interweaving of light and shadow, the rhythm of composition, and the power of image narrative, all of which deeply inspired my creative passion.I learned to use the Pentax, and the light meter.Marian told me

how using studio lighting to create meaning and atmosphere.I dedicated one hour to completing Tasks 1, 2, and 3 through hands-on practice.

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In the morning we went into the darkroom and learned to develop film. There were two ways, the first was by machine and the second was by potions. The most important thing I learned is that film can't see light. The darkroom is very dark and only has red lights. It is forbidden to bring mobile phones and other luminous objects in it. When we learn to develop film, we must first focus the film and measure the approximate run time. We divide it into four parts to test, covering 4s-6s, and then select the most appropriate number of seconds.In the afternoon, we learned about photographers we were interested in through three different channels: magazines, news, Instagram, etc. I also learned to go to the library and find books.

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This is the first time I got the film I shot, and it feels amazing. The finished product is pretty good, which shows that I have learned how to use the Pentax film camera and how to measure light correctly.

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I have re-evaluated my concept and decided to change my Final Project theme. My new theme is Broken Relationship and I plan to use a broken mirror to visually represent the idea of a fractured relationship.

I conducted a test shoot and invited Hanbo and Beichen as my models. My shooting concept is structured as follows:

1. First Image: Represents that their friendship still exists. Both of them sit on chairs, smiling at the camera. I took three shots and will select the most natural and joyful one.

2. Second Image: Both appear in the same mirror, and I capture their reflections. At this point, one person still looks happy, while the other appears visibly upset.

3. Third Image:I used black tape to divide the mirror into two separate parts, symbolizing the official breakdown of their friendship.

4. Fourth Image:One person sits in front of the mirror in a depressed state, while the other stands up and walks away.

5. Final Image:The scene consists only of two empty chairs and a broken mirror, representing the complete end of their relationship.

Since my props (broken mirror) had not arrived so I used a studio mirror instead, which meant I couldn't fully showcase the "broken mirror" effect. For my final work, I will physically break the mirror to create a more realistic and impactful representation. I’ve also found reference works and books related to this theme.

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At first, I thought of shadows, but I felt it was a bit difficult to complete it in the studio. After the tutorial, I improved the some details of my final project. I kept the framework of combining people and objects, invited different people to participate in the shooting, and showed the emotions of different people. I would find the models before the shoot and I would ask them the same three questions, the first one: how do you feel about time, the second one: how do you feel about your personality, and the third one: how do you feel about a water glass that is half full of water.I would find some suitable props, such as Clocks, clothes , water glasses etc. Subjectivity: Use simple props combined with characters to express infinite creativity and personal feelings. Objectivity: The props are real and have no emotions. The combination and reorganization of props and different people form a unique composition and visual effect.

Inspiration: Oliver mayhall

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1.Laura Williams

《Broken Promises》 (2018)

Contemporary photographer whose series Shattered Reflections features a woman standing before a shattered mirror, with blurred silhouettes of a separating couple reflected in the shards, symbolizing the collapse of promises.

Search “Broken Promises” on Saatchi Art.

2.Robert Mapplethorpe

《Love Withdrawn》 (1987, black-and- white photography)

Controversial artist this piece depicts two hands drifting apart in front of a

shattered mirror, metaphorizing the alienation of intimacy.

Exhibited at the Guggenheim Museum in New York.

3.Suzanne Saroff

《Perspective》 (2020)

In Lost Connection , fractured mirrors split an embracing couple into fragments through layered refractions, exploring disconnection.

Visit her Instagram @suzannesaroff or search “Suzanne Saroff Perspective series”.

4.Viviane Sassen

《Umbra》 (2012)

Dutch surrealist photographer; the model's face is obscured by broken mirrors reflecting a figure walking away, hinting at the end of a friendship.

Published in her photobook Umbra or Foam Museum.

5.Erik Johansson

《Breaking Apart》 (2016)

A digital composite of a couple

embracing before a cracked mirror, their reflections dissipating on either side of the fracture, symbolizing irreparable rifts. View on his Behance profile.