“Studio” Location: The North Hollywood Redline Metro is a place that I like to shoot. There are plenty of shapes, lights and colors, along with people. For this assignment, I placed my back against the wall, between the pay stations and the turnstiles, with a view of the entrance directly in front. My zoom lens was taped at 35mm and my camera set to M.
While I observed my “studio,” I ran through the order of shots in my mind. Then, I took readings in each direction so I could quickly adjust my aperture. Some of the photos were successful, some less so.
#1. 35mm (ISO 4000, 1/60, f7.1)
#2. 35mm (ISO 4000, 1/60, f4.5)
#3. 35mm (ISO 4000, 1/60, f10)
#4. 35mm (ISO 4000, 1/60, f10)
#5. 35mm (ISO 4000, 1/60, f7.1)
#6. 35mm (ISO 4000, 1/60, f5.6)
#7. 35mm (ISO 4000, 1/60, f8)
#8. 35mm (ISO 4000, 1/60, f8.0)
#9. 35mm (ISO 4000, 1/60, f8)
#10. 35mm (ISO 4000, 1/60, f8)
Reflection: This exercise is definitely harder than it comes off on paper. As I look at my photos, I feel like too many of them are similar. In hindsight, while observing my “studio,” I was doing it without the aid of the people in the photos. As it turns out, people on the Metro are all doing the same thing, going somewhere. Hence the sort of similarity between shots.
If I had to pick a favorite shot, it’s probably #6, at the pay kiosks. It feels like solid exposure settings and an interesting picture with the wall curving around and people in crisp, clear action. Something I find interesting in shot #2, over the top of the turnstiles, it appears to be distorted because of the arc the person in the middle is walking through.