Manuel Lopez

Portland, Oregon

Seeing the light

This is my first year as a photographer. I picked up a camera in January because I have a bad memory and I hoped that taking photographs would help me pay more attention, learn to slow down, and “truly see” what was around me. Along the way, I learned to notice what the light was doing.

The photos in this series focus on light. They also explore the themes of awe and yearning. Yearning for what is out there, like a lone radio telescope pointed at the sky patiently observing the stars. Yearning for knowing what is within us, captured in the quiet gaze of a portrait. These are the quiet moments that have passed me by in the past, but I’m glad that I’m learning to pay attention and notice these moments of awe.