The Station Pictures
By Gabe Maxson
17 Dec 2008
I work late hours in a darkened theatre, manipulating light on a stage. I think this creates a kind of learned behavior in my perception when I'm taking the train home, and I find myself seeing stages and frames, and the light and actors within those frames. Sometimes, though not as often as I'd like, I take out the camera and work on this subway series.
The column-beams are at once an obstruction and a framing device, and I love them. I love that they force me to make compositional decisions or else miss the picture I'm trying to get.
I take these pictures as stealthily and unobtrusively as I can. The other side of the tracks is much closer than it comes across in the pictures, and people aren't as interesting after they are aware of me. Sometimes they just downright resent being photographed, in which case I stop and put my camera away.
My favorite is the first one below, with the man behind the column. Pretty much all came together for me with that one.
Technical stuff:
It's tricky getting the right exposure with these lighting conditions, hand-held (with my Nikon D40). I use wide aperture, 1/30-1/100 shutter, and 800-1600 ISO, spot-focus and spot-metering.
One more HERE.
9 responses
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Spectre Photo gave props (17 Dec 2008):
What can I say, this series is AMAZING. You can really tell you work in a theatre!!
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Rodrigo Aliaga gave props (17 Dec 2008):
just fantastic!
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Zerina Phillip gave props (17 Dec 2008):
Hey!!! Really like your story and photos. YEAH!!!!
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Catherine Kurvink gave props (1 Jan 2009):
FABULOUS series of images, great story to go with them. Bravo!
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Eric J Henderson gave props (17 Jan 2009):
doubleplusgood, Gabe! Thanks for this - I guess we were shooting this little world's alter egos, color and bw. I'm digging this. My bet: friends leaning on a pole, each facing away in profile. Much peace, e.
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Alexander Bussey gave props (8 Feb 2009):
excellent series. I love it.
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Maura Wolfson-Foster gave props (3 Dec 2009):
Terrific - voted!!! :)
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Rhio9 (Rhio Hirsch) said (4 Dec 2009):
you got a big vote from me. these are really exciting. i can relate to your story.
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Jason Platt gave props (8 Jan 2010):
a very loud YES! perfect execution of a style your very own....
