Meg Mei Shum Wong 美心 is a photographer based in San Francisco, California, who uses digital and analog techniques to explore the feelings of isolation and low self-esteem. Using film in the majority of my work allows me to slow down my thought process in what I want to show. I use a representation of a ghostly figure in a gloomy atmosphere–interiors and exteriors– to depict feelings of being unseen and misunderstood. The foggy early mornings create darkness and haunted settings. The intention is to make the figure unseen, yet be the first thing you see from looking closely or afar, making me seem small. I create a distorted image of myself playing with reflections from a mirror, slow shutter speed in black and white; you don’t fully see me in detail. Manipulating images using contrast, shadows, composition, and color to take control of the emotion.

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Photography has allowed me to express myself creatively, pushing my own boundaries of comfort. The photos I’ve created are a visual journal of my struggles, growth, and reflection on my understanding of my inner self. My work is to evoke being vulnerable, accepting, and longing for self-love.