Rear Seat Diaries 68
Photography by Ralph Milewski (Germany)

Rear Seat Diaries is an ongoing series documenting the impermanence of moments and the interplay between motion and perception. My perspective, dictated by my position in the back of the vehicle, forces a particular way of seeing—one where control is relinquished, and the world rushes past in unpredictable patterns.

I sit in my electric wheelchair, secured at the back of my VW Caddy. The camera is positioned on a mini tripod, held in my left hand and supported on my wheelchair. Camera settings are adjusted before the journey begins, and shots are triggered remotely. The black-and-white aesthetic enhances the contrast between chaos and structure, turning fleeting glimpses into something more abstract and contemplative.

Part of my endless series Rear Seat Diaries. Captured while driving at approximately 40 km/h on a country road from the back of my VW Caddy, which is modified for a wheelchair. The view through the side window reveals a blurred line of trees, their silhouettes distorted by motion and shaped by the rough texture of the moving landscape. The sky, streaked with dynamic lines, adds to the abstract nature of the image. This fleeting moment, framed by the car window, transforms the everyday scenery into a painterly vision of transience and movement.

Camera: Sony Alpha 6400 (APS-C)
Lens: 16mm wide-angle lens
Tripod: Mini tripod
Remote Control: For triggering the shots
Software: Adobe Lightroom

Shutter speed: Experimentation with slower speeds to emphasize movement and abstraction
Post-processing: Contrast adjustments, black-and-white conversion, and fine-tuning tonal depth in Adobe Lightroom and Fotor