Two Girls with a Camera Phone

This black and white photograph captures an intimate, candid moment between two young women. The composition is tightly framed, focusing on the subjects in profile against a softly blurred background. This shallow depth of field isolates them, drawing the viewer’s attention to their expressions and the interplay of textures—the dense curls of the older girl’s hair contrast with the woven fabric of the younger girl’s sweater. The monochromatic palette strips the scene of distraction, emphasizing form, light, and the emotional weight of the moment.

The image conveys a quiet narrative of shared experience in a modern context. The older girl’s focused posture as she holds her phone aloft suggests the deliberate act of framing and recording, a universal ritual of contemporary life. Beside her, the younger girl’s gaze is fixed in the same direction, her expression a mixture of curiosity and wonder. The soft, natural light models their features, revealing a subtle sheen on their skin that adds a sense of immediacy and presence to the scene.

This poignant interaction, captured by Nasrul in the summer of 2025, reveals the artist’s sensitivity to the subtle, unposed moments that define human connection. The image becomes a quiet meditation on observation itself—both the act of the subjects observing their world and our act of observing them.

This photograph is a powerful example of the photographer’s career-long exploration of emotional honesty and visual storytelling. Consistent with his body of work, the image elevates a simple, everyday scene into a profound commentary on youth, technology, and the universal desire to capture and hold onto a fleeting moment. It speaks to his unique ability to find deep emotional resonance in the quiet interactions of daily life, making the specific feel timeless and universal.