A girl on the edge: breathtaking self-portraits by An Jun (18 photos)

Are you afraid of heights? If so, the photographs of South Korean photographer Ahn Jun will definitely make your heart skip a beat. This fragile woman climbs incredible heights just for the sake of taking her own portrait. Jun photographs herself because, firstly, she enjoys the thrill of heights and the adrenaline rush, and secondly, because finding models for such extreme photo shoots is extremely difficult.





Philosophy of Heights

Ahn Jun's most famous photographs are connected with heights. Therefore, it might seem that she only photographs on cliffs, skyscrapers, and bridges. This isn't true; the Seoul-based photographer has many other interesting works—portraits, landscapes, still lifes, and simply street shots.



Australia. 2013

But it's the self-portraits "on the edge" that most accurately capture June's inner world and her philosophy of life. She describes it this way:

"I see human life as an object thrown into the void. It's a free fall that ends when we 'fall' to the ground. The physical body returns to the soil, and the spirit rises to its starting point."

Well. 2011

Risk for Art

Ahn Jung created most of her photographs dedicated to heights between 2008 and 2013. These photographs brought her worldwide fame, becoming a sensation at exhibitions in Seoul, Tokyo, New York, London, and Sydney.



New York. 2018

To take these photographs, An Jun literally risked her life. She climbed the roofs of skyscrapers, perched on the edges of the tallest buildings, stood on thin ledges, and leaped high off the edge of cliffs.



Australia. 2012

The viewer is even more terrified to learn that most of these breathtaking self-portraits were taken using a self-timer. An took the risk alone, mounting the camera on a tripod and operating it remotely. If something had gone wrong, there would have been no one to help her.



In interviews, Ahn Jung says she's not a fearless extreme sportswoman. She was always afraid, and this fear makes the photos even more vivid. For some self-portraits, she had to use a safety harness. Ahn also likes to recall being literally hunted by security guards in the skyscrapers of Seoul and New York.



New York. 2012



Self-portrait. 2008



Self-portrait. 2013



On the Edge. 2010







New York. 2011



New York. 2011



Seoul. 2009



New York. 2013



Bonfire



Room. 2023

Hong Kong photographer Andrew Tso also takes pictures on the edge of the abyss. But he's a professional and known in his home country as a fearless roofer. The work of photographers like An Jun and Andrew Tso is not only breathtaking but also makes you question the limits of risk, creativity, and personal freedom. Have you ever done something for art or self-expression that scared the living daylights out of you? Share your thoughts in the comments—I'd love to know where you draw the line between fear and inspiration.