Experimenting with Lighting on the Washington Metro

These photos were taken at different points during my journey on a metro ride.

Artificial Lighting: Low-Lit

The first scene is artificially lit and there is a dim glow coming from each light source. I chose this wide angle to give context to the scene, as well as to create a sense of continuity through the tunnel. This soft light creates somewhat of a calm, almost somber mood.

Artificial Lighting

In the pitch-blackness of the underground, artificial lights illuminate the train cars. This type of lighting lives very neutral, almost cold feeling, especially when coupled with the metal of the poles and doors. I took this photo from a lower angle to capture the shadows underneath the seats as well as some of the reflections in the glass.

Natural Lighting: Low-lit

This image was taken just as the sun began to set. The clouds filtered some of the light, which created a very soft, muted light and cast shadows on the seats. I set my focus point to the brighter parts of the scene, and this exaggerated the contrast between inside and outside.

Natural Lighting: Well-lit

This photo was taken once I left the station. The sun was high in the sky and since there wasn’t that much cloud cover, the rays of hard light could be seen hitting objects like the Metro signpost. I always prefer shooting in natural light because it teaches you how to manipulate your subject using the conditions that are already available to you, and this can help you create certain feelings that wouldn’t be the same with artificial light sources.