Laura Garretty, "Between Moments" (BLACK & WHITE 2025)

Between Moments “Between Moments” is a study of stillness, presence, and the subtle poetry of everyday life. Through this series of four black-and-white photographs, I explore the unspoken tension that exists between solitude and connection — between what we reveal and what we hold quietly within. The first image, a man standing on a dock surrounded by sailboats, sets the tone. Though life moves all around him — the glimmer of water, the hum of boats at anchor — he remains perfectly still. His stance suggests both contemplation and uncertainty, as if caught between where he has been and where he might go next. In that suspended moment, we glimpse something deeply human: the pause before action, the breath before decision. The second photograph moves us inward. An empty restaurant, its tables neatly set, waits for people who have not yet arrived. The crisp linen, the careful arrangement of cutlery — all speak of preparation and expectation. Yet there is a quiet ache in the emptiness, a sense that the stories meant to unfold here have been delayed or perhaps abandoned. The absence of human presence becomes its own form of presence. In the third image, a lone park bench overlooks Sydney Harbour. The skyline rises in the distance, busy and brilliant, but the foreground remains grounded in stillness. The bench invites reflection, yet it is unoccupied. It becomes a silent observer of movement — ferries gliding by, lives rushing forward. The contrast between the distant energy of the city and the quiet vantage point of the bench mirrors the feeling of being connected yet apart — a state familiar to many of us navigating modern life. The final image brings the series full circle. A woman, adorned in ornate jewellery and intricate fabric, gazes directly into the lens. Her expression is layered — serene yet piercing, vulnerable yet strong. In her eyes, we see the culmination of the previous scenes: the reflection of solitude, the waiting, the stillness. She is not defined by her setting but by her presence — unguarded, unapologetic, profoundly human. Across these four works, black and white becomes more than a stylistic choice. It is a way of stripping the world down to essence — of revealing emotion, light, and shadow without distraction. The absence of colour invites the viewer to look deeper, to find the warmth and fragility hidden within each shade of grey. “Between Moments” is about the quiet spaces we inhabit — the ones where life slows down just enough for us to notice its texture. It is about what lingers when the crowd disperses, when the conversation ends, when we stand still long enough to see ourselves reflected in the world around us. In those pauses — between action and inaction, presence and absence — we rediscover our own quiet grace.

Images have been resized for web display, which may cause some loss of image quality. Note: Original high-resolution images are used for judging.