One, Two, Three

• Photographer
  Zili Zhang
• Technical Info
  250mm, F/5.6, 1/200s, Iso 125
• Photo Date
  2024-02-26

Before photo was taken, I had already visualized it. Inspired by a pink salt lake in South of France, I imagined a cloudless pink sky. When I spotted two paddle boards far away, I raised my camera pointing to them for 5mins as they crossed the water. I took only 2 shots, one is when them perfectly aligned in the center. I spent a week adjusting the hue to a natural pink tone with low saturation. The dog on the paddle board is the focal point, so I chose to keep just three birds on the water. The title, "One, Two, Three," reflects each element in the photo: three birds, two people, one dog.

Zili Zhang is an award-winning photographer based in Greenwich, CT. He was named Conceptual Photographer of the Year by Exposure One, Gold from 1839 Awards and ND Magazine. His work has also been recognized by Smithsonian, IPA, PX3, TIFA and many more. He explores quiet visual dialogues and seeks serenity through simplicity. His photographs aim to transform the ordinary into timeless, poetic expressions.