Sahar Vatanz

Nothing you see in my photographs exists, yet none of it is fake.
I don’t freeze time, I stretch it. I transform what’s in front of me using long exposure and intentional camera movement (ICM), working entirely in-camera to manipulate light, motion, and perception.

My images fracture, distort, and reveal what the eye alone cannot see. Inspired by painting, I aim to create photographs that feel like brushstrokes, layered with depth and emotion. There’s no digital manipulation, no AI, only the raw act of creation through the lens. For me, long exposure is not just a technique; it’s a way of seeing, of surrendering control, and embracing imperfection. My work lives in the space between painting and photography, where reality shifts, and images are not just seen, but felt.