I made this image from the street, shooting into an elegant shop through its doorway. (I notice that I inadvertently have inserted myself into this store – as I made the picture, I am reflected in the glass of the only showcase visible here.) The other person in this image is an employee, silhouetted against a glowing entrance from an adjoining interior hallway. The silhouetted man works behind a glittering desk, flanked by a pair of golden lions and adjacent palms. The sweeping hardwood floor leads the eye to a soaring twin staircase, centered on a mobile festooned with white butterflies. The store does not show off its products, indicating that its upscale customers must already be well aware of the rare and important items awaiting them here. The sumptuous shop is arranged like a stage-set. In this image, I emphasize the vast empty spaces, devoted entirely to creating an atmosphere of elegance, designed to express the importance of any transaction here. The Asian lion statues are metaphors for tradition, wealth and power. The silhouetted man (along with the street photographer reflected in the showcase) offer incongruous human touches, contrasting to the symbolic display of impressive symbols in this image.