Toby Zeng – Photographic Composition: Vertical

The current collection from Toby Zeng all centers on the common theme of vertical composition. After experimenting with new ways of capturing the everyday space we take up, his intention with vertical composition is to explore a new way of seeing. In his work, the arrangement of the elements creates a sense of structure and balance. The vertical angle allows us to encounter our space from a different point of view, bringing into focus all the interesting details above and below our normal perceptions. He reassesses the space around him, addressing the everyday environments through a tool of landscape composition and color. Toby chose vertical composition as it is a direct contrast to the usual mise-en-scenes we are familiar with. His focus is on representing a more in-depth look at the space we take up, and calling attention to the minute details of life that we often don’t notice, whether that be the good, the interesting, or the upsetting.

Ultimately, he hopes to break out of our desensitized way of interacting with our space by challenging our perception of things in a new way. His works focus on the use of composition and color as an overarching connection rather than through a common theory or concept. The pieces he creates through this project all center around his belief in showing the often understated and overlooked beauty of everyday life. He seeks out the mundane and by changing the lens, shines a new light over what we perceive to be average or common.

Toby Zeng (b. Beijing, 1998) first found his passion for photography when he began experimenting with taking photos of every day on his iPhone when he was in high school. Later on, he was able to continue with his passion and went on to study photography at Bard College in Upstate New York where he got the opportunity to further explore his craft and build areas to fit himself into. After spending time away studying abroad, he is now based back in China where he is focusing on commissions and personal projects. His current area of interest is in contemporary photography of urban space and the human body shot through a focus on composition and color, using it as a means of looking at the world differently. The materiality of his work is rooted in the contemporary perception of natural space combined with the photographic medium of stylized landscapes. The pieces he creates address everyday experiences in a multitude of forms, from urban environments to portraiture; calling into notice the beauty, physical concentration, and our relationship to what is familiar. Toby uses the language of photography to challenge the methods and assumptions of our interactions with the everyday.