People working in a small, dimly lit food stall or kitchen, with one person wearing a white headband looking over their shoulder.
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A silhouette of a person walking on a bridge or walkway during sunset or sunrise, with a cityscape in the background, in black and white.
Person standing at a street crossing during twilight in an urban area with tall buildings, a traffic light, and a dark sky.
People waiting on a train platform at night, with some recording the train with their phones, while a red train approaches in the background.
Person with black hair, wearing a light coat and carrying a black bag, crossing a city street at night on a zebra crossing, with blurred moving cars and illuminated buildings in the background.
Two people standing in front of an illuminated ticket booth at night, with a parked rickshaw in the foreground.
Chef concentrated on preparing food in a kitchen, seen through a small window.
Night scene of a brightly lit bridge with two silhouetted people standing on a bridge. The background features illuminated buildings and signs.
Nighttime street scene with a black taxi cab parked on the side of the road and pedestrians crossing the street.
A man sitting on a bench at night, wearing a hat and dark clothing, with a shopping bag beside him. There are several people in the background walking or standing in a dimly lit outdoor area with trees and buildings.
Aerial view of three men walking down an outdoor staircase and a pathway in an urban setting, with shadows cast in the sunlight.
Two women wearing traditional Japanese kimonos are standing close together, one is taking a photo with a smartphone, in a dark setting with sunlight illuminating their outlines.
A person extending their arm and hand with a paper bag in a dimly lit or smoky environment, with two blurred individuals' heads in the foreground.
Night scene outside a Japanese restaurant with illuminated signs, people standing at the entrance, some wearing face masks.
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Close-up of a spray of steam or smoke with part of a gas stove or pipe visible, seen through a small window or opening.

01

Street

A woman in a white coat with a black backpack walking across a crosswalk at night in an urban area.

02

After Dark

Black and white photo of a metal fence at night, with blurred lights in the background creating a bokeh effect.

03

Noire

Two women wearing traditional kimonos, with one taking a photo of the other, surrounded by people in a crowded outdoor setting.

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Behind The Lens

SEAN HARDIE

Film noir is a style of Hollywood crime drama that emphasizes cynical attitudes, moral ambiguity, and a dark, pessimistic worldview, originating primarily in the 1940s and 1950s. The term, meaning "black film" or "dark film" in French, was first used by French critic Nino Frank in 1946 to describe American crime films characterized by low-key black-and-white cinematography, stark lighting, and themes of fatalism and corruption. While often associated with a specific visual style—such as chiaroscuro lighting, shadows, and urban labyrinths—film noir also encompasses a range of narratives featuring archetypal characters like the private investigator, the femme fatale, or the doomed anti-hero, frequently set against a backdrop of moral decay. When asked about photography, this is my response.

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