Girl on the Edge: Ahn Jung's Dizzying Self-Portraits

Are you afraid of heights? If so, the photographs of South Korean photographer Ahn Jun will definitely make your heart skip a beat. This petite woman climbs incredible heights just to take yet another portrait of herself. 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.

An Joong's most famous photographs involve heights. It might seem that she only photographs cliffs, skyscrapers, and bridges. This isn't true; the Seoul-based photographer has many other interesting works—portraits, landscapes, still lifes, and simply street photography.

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:

An Joon produced most of her photographs, which focus on height, between 2008 and 2013. These photographs brought her international fame, becoming a sensation at exhibitions in Seoul, Tokyo, New York, London, and Sydney.

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

The viewer is even more terrified to learn that most of the 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 went wrong, there would be no one to help her.

In interviews, Ahn-Jung says she's not a fearless extreme sportswoman. She was terrified every time, 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.

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 you to death? Share it in the comments—I'd love to know where you draw the line between fear and inspiration.