Liminal Spaces
What is that and how come I didn't realize that so much of my own photography work is in this theme or style?
While I’d heard the term “liminal spaces” previously, it wasn’t until fairly recently when my brothers in light over in the Unusual Collective brought the term to the forefront for me. My friends Antonio and Ward of the StreetShots Photography podcast and StreetShots Podcast Substack were talking about liminal spaces and how that applies to photography in our discord and one of them made a comment that they felt like it applied to some of my own photo work as well.
I had never considered this, hell I still bounce back and forth between feeling like I have a solid grasp on what exactly it is and not quite understanding the concept fully - at least in terms of how it applies to my own work.
Oddly, now that I write that, I realize that this border between understanding and not understanding is itself me finding my thoughts in a bit of a liminal space, isn’t it?
Hey there! I’m sharing my journey to escape back to my roots. Consider subscribing now and you’ll get weekly letters with thoughts from a man of many interests, from books and movies, nature and music, to photography, a good meal, and relaxing with a hot cup of coffee. A man looking to find his way back to a place of balance and intentional living in an attempt to live slower in these chaotically fast times. I’m Dave and I’m inviting you into my private journals as we embark on this journey together. I’m not a life coach, I don’t have all the answers, I’m just a man of the north with a mind on fire.
According to the interwebs, the definition of Liminal Space is as follows:
Liminal space is the uncertain transition between where you've been and where you're going physically, emotionally, or metaphorically. To be in a liminal space means to be on the precipice of something new but not quite there yet. The word "liminal" comes from the Latin word “limen,” which means threshold.
Further, when applied to photography we get the following concept:
Liminal space imagery often depicts this sense of "in-between", capturing transitional places (such as stairwells, roads, corridors, or hotels) unsettlingly devoid of people. The aesthetic may convey moods of eeriness, surrealness, nostalgia, or sadness, and elicit responses of both comfort and unease.
For many years I’ve enjoyed making photos of places where I’d find a sense of quiet, where man’s presence was seen and felt yet no people were found. I’ve done short photo series and projects over the years documenting the spaces where nature is beginning to reclaim the land from people as well as a series I called ‘Solitary Refinement’ in which my goal with the photos was: “Seeking peace in silent moments. An ongoing project exploring the peaceful solitary moments of small towns and rural locations across North Eastern Minnesota.”.
Little did I know all this time, that in reality those projects are really exploring Liminal Spaces… I think.
I live in a very rural area of northern Minnesota, riddled with small towns built on the back of the iron ore mining industry. It’s not hard to walk out my door and wander a few blocks away from home and be able to witness empty streets standing tall with the history of years, harsh climates, and difficult ways of life weighing upon them.
The more I think about the concept of photographing liminal spaces, the more I feel like I’m naturally drawn to these moments. I don’t know what that says about me, but I know that there is something about the conversation my friends were having about it and my further thoughts on the subject have caused this concept to lodge in my little brain and it won’t let go.
What will I do with that information?
I have no clue on that either. For now I thought I’d share a small handful of photos from the last little while that I feel fit this idea.
Though in somewhat tongue in cheek fashion - if liminal space refers to the feeling of that transition between spaces, what does photographing the subliminal spaces look like?
Enjoy the photos and be sure to check out my questions and requests for you at the end and leave me your thoughts in the comments!
What do you think of the concept, the idea, of liminal spaces? Do you think it’s something that works best to express and document in the photographic (or cinematic) mediums or can it work equally well in the written form? Can you give me any examples of beautiful stories and writing that lives in the zone of liminal spaces? Also, give me all the links to other photographers making amazing work utilizing the concepts of Liminal Space!
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You know something? The more I think about this concept, the more I realize how I am in a emotional (and maybe physical) liminal space as a widower. In the area between where I was - married - and where I'm going to - unknown. This feels SO right to me and kind of explains part of the unease I feel in my life now.
“Oddly, now that I write that, I realize that this border between understanding and not understanding is itself me finding my thoughts in a bit of a liminal space, isn’t it?”
Gotta be my favorite part!