Concept & Inspiration

This image was born from an exploration of fear, vulnerability, and instinct — the moment where logic disappears and the body reacts before the mind has time to catch up. The central idea was to place a modern woman into a primal situation: running through a forest at night, dressed in red heels and a flowing dress, pursued by unseen danger.

The forest represents the unknown — an environment that is ancient, unpredictable, and indifferent. The wolves, though not always immediately visible, symbolise primal threats: fear, pressure, anxiety, and the relentless forces that chase us internally rather than physically.

By introducing a distant city skyline behind the trees, the image intentionally bridges two worlds: civilisation and instinct. It asks a quiet question — can we ever truly escape the pressures we create, even when surrounded by nature? The red dress becomes both a beacon and a vulnerability, drawing attention while exposing fragility, amplifying the tension between elegance and survival.

Creative Process

The creative process began with reimagining an original photograph and pushing it into a more cinematic, modern, and psychologically charged space using AI as a creative collaborator rather than a replacement. Maintaining the identity of the woman was critical — the image needed to feel like an evolution, not a substitution.

Several key considerations shaped the direction:

• Realism over fantasy: While the scene leans into symbolism, it needed to remain believable and grounded. This dictated the choice of lighting, environment, and body language.

• Emotion first: Her fear had to be readable — not exaggerated, but authentic. The tension lives in her posture, her expression, and the urgency of her movement.

• Contrast: Heels in a forest, elegance against chaos, city lights behind nature — these contradictions were essential to the narrative.

• Lighting logic: The scene was treated as a professional editorial shoot, with studio-style lighting motivating the final image. The moon provides a natural rim light, while controlled side lighting ensures the subject remains sculpted and prominent despite the darkness.

Autumn was chosen deliberately. Falling leaves introduce motion, depth, and a sense of transition — reinforcing the idea that this moment is part of a larger journey rather than a static event.

Execution

The final image was executed as a cinematic editorial frame, blending controlled lighting with environmental storytelling. The subject is lit from both sides using studio-style key lights, ensuring clarity and definition while preserving a natural nighttime atmosphere. A strong moonlight rim outlines her silhouette, separating her from the darkness and subtly guiding the viewer’s eye through the frame.

The forest floor is layered with leaves, disturbed by her movement, giving the image kinetic energy. Mist hangs between the trees and around the distant city skyline, softening the background and adding scale without distracting from the subject.

The wolves exist as an implied threat — sometimes visible, sometimes felt — reinforcing the psychological weight of the chase. This choice keeps the image from becoming literal, allowing the viewer’s imagination to complete the story.

Every element, from the colour palette to the depth of field, was designed to support a single moment: flight, fear, and instinct colliding under moonlight.

Reflection

This piece represents a broader philosophy behind my conceptual work — using imagery not to document reality, but to externalise internal states. The image isn’t about being chased by wolves; it’s about what it feels like to be hunted by fear, expectation, or circumstance while trying to move forward.

By combining fashion, narrative, and cinematic lighting, the image lives somewhere between still photography and film — a paused moment that suggests both what came before and what might happen next.

Ultimately, this artwork is an exploration of resilience. Even in heels, even in the dark, even when pursued — she keeps running. And that persistence, rather than escape, is the true subject of the image.

The Wolf Chase (2015)