Bokeh of Traffic Lights by Siew Bee Lim

Captured on a fine evening in September 2018, this image transforms the mundane reality of a city junction into a mesmerizing display of light. Seeking to master the art of night bokeh, the photographer experimented with various subjects before finding beauty in the simple, rhythmic glow of traffic signals. The resulting composition relies on the deliberate manipulation of focus to turn sharp urban lights into soft, ethereal orbs. This piece is award-worthy for its minimalist approach, proving that compelling photography often lies in the quiet, atmospheric details of our everyday surroundings.

Bokeh of Traffic Lights by Siew Bee Lim(c) Light & Composition
Copyright Β© Siew Bee Lim
Light & Composition Photo of the Day

Siew Bee Lim

REGISTERED PHOTOGRAPHER

Born in Singapore in 1965, Siew Bee Lim is a dedicated photographer who balances her professional background as a programmer with a lifelong passion for visual storytelling. Though she initially explored photography during her early career, she has returned to the craft with renewed vigor, seeking formal education to refine her artistic vision. Drawing inspiration from her appreciation of Chinese painting and a desire to overcome her self-perceived lack of traditional drawing skills, she now focuses on capturing the subtle beauty of light and atmosphere through the lens.

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11.1/20
RESONANCE
SCORE
168/500
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Award Reach | Reviews
9,598 views | 4 Reviews
Award Winner Photo of the Day
Award Date October 27, 2018
67.0
AWARD SCORE
Value 13.0
Clarity 12.0
Composition 18.0
Style 12.0
Skill 12.0
Photograph Location
Singapore

AWARD SEGMENT | TAGS

Night Photography
Siew Bee Lim Photography

Resonance Score Breakdown

Transparency in Award Scoring

Transparency Note: The resonance score (10.9/20) is calculated based on social engagement metrics collected before the award announcement.

Social Shares
4.2/5 points
832/1,000 Social Share
Page Views
5.0/5 points
9,598/2,500 Page View
Reviews
0.0/5 points
0/100 Review
Submissions
1.7/5 points
168/500 Submission
Jury Score: 67.0/80
Resonance Score: 10.9/20
Total Award Score: 77.9/100

Expert Photography Reviews · 4

Julian Rowe Experimental Photography, Motion & Alternative Visual Languages Expert Review
Most photographers obsess over the crispness of a signal, but Lim’s decision to dissolve the city into pure, chromatic geometry is far more compelling. It’s closer to Hiroshi Sugimoto’s long-exposure theatres than to conventional urban documentation. I’m genuinely moved by how she’s abandoned the grid for these soft, bleeding orbs. Why resolve the junction at all? By choosing to blur the mundane, she’s found a precision in chaos that sharpness simply can’t touch.
James Rokeby Camera Craft & Technical Execution Expert Review
f/2.8 at 50mm, ISO 1600. A shallow plane of focus forces the sensor to render light as geometric abstraction. It’s a calculated gamble on optics over substance. The chromatic aberration at the edges of the orbs is distracting, yet the color separation is precise. I’ve seen a thousand bokeh studies, but this one actually holds my attention. The technical execution is clean. It doesn't rely on post-processing tricks. It’s a rare instance where the math works.
Amara Diallo Portrait, Human Story & Narrative Portraiture Expert Review
We look at these glowing orbs and we don’t see traffic; we see the pulse of a city that never stops to breathe. Siew Bee Lim has listened to the rhythm of Singapore’s streets, turning harsh signals into soft, human sighs. It’s a portrait of a place, not a person, yet it feels deeply intimate. I find myself wanting to lean into the blur, searching for the ghosts of commuters who passed through this light.
Kofi Asante Intimate Portraiture, Reportage & Lives Told Truthfully Expert Review
It’s a pretty display of optics, but I’m left searching for a pulse. Where’s the person behind the glass? I’ve spent my life looking for the human story in the chaos of a city, but here, the lights have swallowed the life entirely. It’s technically clean, sure, but it feels hollow. I miss the weight of a gaze. Without a subject to hold onto, it’s just pretty geometry. I’m left feeling quite lonely looking at this.
Reflections on this Photograph
By Rashid Noor

The Blur of Certainty

Why do we insist that clarity is the only way to perceive the truth? We spend our lives sharpening our focus, desperate to define the edges of our reality, believing that if we can only see the lines clearly enough, we will finally understand the world.

Read the reflection →
By Tom Bretherton

The Geometry of Waiting

I was standing on the corner of 4th and Main, waiting for a bus that was already twenty minutes late. Beside me, an elderly woman in a yellow raincoat was staring intently at the red signal across the street. She didn't seem bothered by the delay or the drizzle.

Read the reflection →

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