Assignment - Travel.

Statement of Intent:

Through work I will be attending an exhibition and a meeting in London. My aim is to use these opportunities to capture images that represent rail travel both surface and underground.

Travelling on the London Underground will also provide a challenging environment with both movement and low light levels.

Safety aspects:
Minimal safety aspects to consider for travel on the surface rail system but London Underground may be a different matter due to having a higher level of security.

Rail Travel & the London Underground:

Lens used: 14-42mm & 40-150mm : Hand-held to capture spontaneity : Manual focus.

Outdoor Platform Settings: 1/250 @ F4.0 - 5.6 : ISO 200

On board train: 1/40 @ F5.6 : ISO 100

Image of notebook recording camera settings and considerations

Mix of images to depict rail travel including movement and people reacting to their environment. From my research I am focusing on images captured by both Ian Tindale and Paul Russell. Ian Tindale took images of the London Underground and surface rail systems using the lines of movement and light to dark to draw your focus through the photographs. Paul Russell concentrated more on the passengers capturing the mood of the moment.

Farnborough Station taken from overhead bridge.
View over the rails to draw the eye along the line.

Alternative view to challenge balance of viewer!

Approaching train: Image focused on awaiting passengers

Waiting couple: Image lost in shadow &
 may be improved using photoshop? 

Waterloo Station:
Seated passengers captured in central third of image.
Range of surfaces & activity of individuals.
(Reference: Paul Russell)

London Underground Escalators images:
A number of shots where taken of the escalators going into London Underground. Difficulty was the very low light levels and the constant movement of both myself and passengers travelling on the escalator.

Lens used: Predominantly 14-42mm : Hand-held to capture spontaneity

Underground Settings: 1/4 - 1/6 @ F3.5 : ISO 100

Due to the low light levels my focus was on capturing movement of passengers and the escalator. Focal point was either the escalator tread or the end of the escalator thereby forcing a blurring of the image enhancing the effect of movement. Decision not to use flash as the atmosphere would be lost.

Same escalator taken @ 1/4 shutter speed.
More detail available.
(Reference: Ian Tindale)

Down escalator @ 1/6 shutter speed. (14-42mm lens)

Distance emphasised by light and reflection.
(Reference: Ian Tindale)

Down escalator @ 1/6 shutter speed. (14-42mm lens)
Focal point @ base of escalator.

Same escalator @ 1/4 shutter speed.
Better effect as blue safety sign not close to lens;
movement emphasised by blurring of passengers.

Waterloo Station escalator (ISO 200, 1/25, F4.0)

Escalators closer to the surface offer high light levels thereby allowing faster shutter speeds. Using the higher shutter speed loses the sense of movement but allows more detail to be captured.

 London Underground Platform images:

Capturing images of waiting passengers and movement across/along the platform. 

Lens used: 14-42mm lens predominantly : Hand-held to capture spontaneity
Underground Settings: 1/4 - 1/6 @ F3.5 : ISO 100

Tube train doors opening:platform passengers

 waiting.

Passengers leaving the carriage: 1/6, F3.5, 40-150mm lens.

Departing train: relatively empty platform.
Single passenger arriving at pace. (14-42mm lens)

Empty tube platform (14-42mm lens: 1/6: F3.5)
(Reference: Ian Tindale's use of ceiling lighting to enhance perspective)

Being positioned close to the tube wall the image gains the effect of distance. The London Underground logo on the wall is in contrast with a single passenger in the distance whilst the lighting and reflection offers a tranquil environment.

Egressing passengers offer a busy environment

Tube train leaving: speed emphasised by
using slow shutter speed.

Decreased "F" stop allows a brighter image.

Passengers clustered waiting to board (14-42mm lens: 1/6: F3.5)

Due to the structure of the London Underground there is often the ability to view the alternative platform across the interlinking walkways. The series of images captures the flow of passengers towards the departure platform and away to the exit.These photographs were taken during the middle of the day when passenger numbers are low but it does provide the visualisation of the structure and vibrant colours despite being underground.

Train on opposite platform ready to depart whilst passengers scurry across the image heading towards the exit.The train carriage is in crisp focus whilst the passengers are blurred and merely images of movement. Image captured due to the slow shutter speed.






Similarly, a single passenger entering the carriage on the opposite platform whilst another passenger enters the shot from the right. Both passengers are blurred images against the crisp focus of the surroundings.

Distance is emphasised by positioning the camera close to the wall thereby drawing the eye. There is also the added benefit of having a reflective surface

Images of Passengers:

Images capturing passengers whilst travelling. 

Lens used: 14-42mm : Hand-held : Manual focus.
It is difficult to capture images of people whilst travelling without them being aware that a camera is being pointed at them! My first photograph was taken on a surface train travelling to London. There was a great deal of bright sun creating areas of intense light and deep shadow. The difficulty was with the passenger sitting in shadow with the camera picking up the large areas of light from the seating. My objective was to use the seating to reduce the impact of pointing the camera towards the subject thereby maintaining the true image. This photograph captures the moment but is over-powered by the large area of intense red seating in the foreground. The subject is sitting in shadow and wearing predominantly dark clothing and is therefore not providing any detail. The dark trousers and intense light does however produce some dramatic shadow effect.

Young Executive Messaging: 1/40, F5.6, ISO 100, 14-42mm lens.

Photographing passengers on the London Underground also offers its challenges! There is a great deal of movement to contend with whilst not having much light it means that you are limited to either slow shutter speed or limited depth of field. This photograph manages to capture a relatively crisp image despite the natural movement of the carriage. The main focus is on the initial passengers leaving the foreground and rear of the carriage out of focus. The noise of the train drowned the sound of the shutter but I had to hold the camera in a covert manner rather than to my eye as this would have drawn attention. This image captures the mood but due to the extreme limitations of light and movement would not allow any degree of enlargement.
My image is similar to that taken by Ian Tindale (Reference: Research Blog) but I feel does not capture the same "mood". In Ian Tindale's image his photograph has been taken along the mid-line of the carriage from a low reference point. This enhances the line of sight allowing you to view passengers on both lines of seating. His image is crisp where as mine shows a degree of camera movement due to the low light levels and hence the use of slow shutter settings.

Ian Tindale's photograph of commuter's on the London Underground

London Underground: 1/4, F3.5, ISO 100, 14-42mm lens

 Waterloo Station images:

Various images capturing the mood of the station at evening rush hour. 

Lens used: 40-150mm lens predominantly : Hand-held.
Settings: 1/10 - 1/25 @ F4.0 : ISO 100

Man waiting at the exit from Waterloo Underground

.

The man is obviously biding time skimming through a magazine and waiting. The setting of the confectionery shop provides a complex background. Taken at 1/10 shutter speed there is the option of capturing movement of another passenger thereby providing contrast.

London Commuters (Reference: Paul Russell)

Frustration! Waiting for a train at Waterloo Station.

Waterloo Station at rush hour. Everyone is checking the travel details for their train except for a single man. Reasonably good light levels allowing the use of a high shutter speed and "F" stop to capture depth of focus. Due to the crowd there is a great deal of movement. This is in contrast with the photographs below capturing passengers walking along the platform prior to boarding their train for the journey home.
This photograph captures the mood of frustration, expectation and passing time. The mood of the image is similar to that of Paul Russell's showing two ladies in London; one lady is trying to read a street map. Both images offer similar moods and movement within the crowd.

Distance is captured through the use of the train and platform markings. The top image captures a slow pace expressed by a few passengers walking along the train prior to boarding. The dominant subject is the fluorescent jacket positioned in the top half of the image. There is also contrast in the image; detail in the top as opposed to empty platform below.
All three images offer a high level of reflection from the train carriage sides.
The bottom photographs capture passenger movement through silhouetted images; the passengers are captured but there is no detail of who they are.


Safety Review: There were no issues of safety/security during any part of the rail travel. My object was to take a few photographs at a number of places thereby minimising any possible issue.

Research: 5 Photographers + Street Photography

Thomas Sullivan: 
Biography Comment: "I capture the emotions of the present as they happen." These images focus on the energy of the moment as captured in the quotation.
Sequence of sporting images capturing movement.  

Runners provide the line of sight from left to right; runners kept in the middle third of the photograph.

Baseball captures the movement of the sliding player and defenders arm; middle third of photograph.

Footballers framed in centre third but this time thirds are vertical rather than horizontal; movement captured.

Single golfer again framed in centre third of image; posture reflected in the tree.

Basketball: focus on a single player but you are aware that others are on court; again centre third but this time left-side third is the crowd & right-side third is opposition. The movement is captured through her line of sight.

Young baseball player: image captured in bottom half of the image; movement captured through posture & line of sight.

Sequence of events photographs:
These are all staged groups like the typical "family photograph". The challenge is getting everyone in the group looking in the same direction and not blinking. With the exception of the second group photograph, these images have the faces in the top third of the photograph and in a line. The second group photograph uses the background to act as a frame; plain background with a complex group.

 Nick Turpins:
 Biography Comment: "I go to the busiest public places to discover something very personal and private." All of the images offer a sense of imagination; a feeling that you can understand the feeling behind the photograph. The final photograph of the young couple kissing by the fountain is an idillic image.

Group of images below are staged using a single "model" in a setting. The thirds split challenges the picture as these are both horizontal and vertical; especially the subject standing on the bridge. The youth on a bike uses a grafetti wall to capture the mood.

The next group are more natural images using the plain wall lit by sunshine and shadows. The lady positioned in the middle offsets the man-made materials. The 2 workmen mirrored by the 2 business men walking in opposite directions portrays an interesting image. There is movement but the subjects are crisp as opposed to the 2 ladies sitting and talking whilst the pigeons are in flight and blurred.

The car shots capture two distinct images on a theme; people and cars.  The left image may be set up with the driver perched on the bonnet whilst the right image captures a moment in time. The use of the car colour is important as it is opposite to the background therefore emphasising the difference.

This photograph of a young couple hugging by a fountain captures the tenderness of the moment. It captures the moment in time; the fountain acting as a calm background framing the couple.

Martin Parr:
Biography Comment: "His work takes a critical look at modern society, specifically consumerism, the idea of family and relationships and food." His "witty approach to documentary photography."
I have chosen four themes to depict the variety of Parr's "street photography". These echo the comments stated in the biography and depict the era, the fashion, the way it actually was.
The pair below are images of streets showing people within a concrete environment. The left image uses the road signs to provide different angles against rectangular buildings & emphasises the flow of movement in the roads.

The cluster below capture people within groups. The foreground is crisp whilst the background is blurred thereby focusing attention on the "lead person". There is movement within each image forcing your eyes to move around the subject material.

Specific images have been captured; the doughnut, interlocked arms and a programme on a television. Martin Parr uses black & white to portray an old-style television thereby emphasising age and the era.

The last chosen image is of Martin Parr standing in front of a board of photographs. You can not see the specifics of the individual photographs but it provides a techni-color background to offset a darkly clothed "dull" individual; loud and vibrant against a bored viewer.

Ian Tindale:
Of the many Tindale photographs I have selected four themes; namely rail, buildings/man-made constructions, queing people and finally an individual person in the mist. These themes echo some of my own photography and will form some of the themes that I will develop during the course.
Rail travel offers an interesting context to capture both individuals and movement. These images offer distance and naturally draws your eye along the length of the carriages, across the rail network through overhead gantries and bridges, and down the platform using the natural lines of the station and platform.

By using delayed shutter speed can be captured; in this case using black and white. By involving passengers the real themes of rail travel comes alive; the isolation, chaos, cramped conditions may be portrayed. There is the drawing of the eye through the carriage but the lines are by no means crisp as with the station platform as feet and baggage fill the central isle. Personally, I feel the use of colour adds a real sense to these images enhancing the chaotic nature and variation inside the carriage.

 

 Tindale uses man-made structures and light to great effect in the next group of photographs. The eye is drawn up the escalator, through the underpass along the canal side (especially using the individual silhouetted against the light background), aoong the rigid, steel-like lines of the tower block and through the tunnel light by flourescent lighting. There is always a point of focus in these photographs but an additional level of detail that complicates the image; be it reflection, the stairs of the escalator or the construction of the tunnel.

 

The final two images use this single point of focus plus the detail to complicate the image to great effect; but these images are quite different. The queing people down the side of a dark non-descript building  offers both the focal point and the complication. Alternatively an individual walking in the mist is totally opposing the first image but still offers both the single point of focus and the degree of complication. In this photograph the individual is the focal point enhanced by the trees lining the field. It is also these trees that offer the detail and degree of complication.

Paul Russell:
Biography Comment: "I was trying to make it like a painting where you can see the different parts but then you also see the whole of it".  Russell also said that he was "interested in examining how human behaviour is effected by our environment."

 The first two images capture the event; an individual leaning backwards in an attempt of taking a photograph of something above them. The indivual is positioned within the right third of the image and through the line of plants or the barriers a line of movement is drawn across the picture.

 This next pair of photographs captures human behaviour and the environment. The man peering around a corner forces you to ask what or who he is looking at. Your focus is drawn into the image by way of the brick wall and the column of people walking away from you.
Two women watching a fairground or show ground depicts a summers' day, hot and sunny, a family event.There are multiple points of focus (the dog, the husband sunbathing, the cigarette) but these are all in the middle third of the photograph.

 The cluster of three small images have a feeling of being staged but they could be spontaneous; that particular moment in time. The elderly lady facing the camera is the opposite of the younger girl looking over the bay.


 

The individual positioned behind a column makes you want to move to the side to get a better view of who they are and what they are doing.




  What is the group of people lined up for? This image does raise the question as to whether it is staged especially as the five individuals are decreasing in height and increasing in the level of movement as you look from right to left across the photograph. A clever photograph but it does not feel natural for me!


 As the theme is "staged photography", the image below of a single man sitting on the window sill looking out of the window is very powerful. The individual is positioned in the bottom right corner of the image with the dark area mirrored by the heavy dark picture top left. The centre of the image is flooded by intense light; a powerful and thought provoking image.

In contrast the next picture offers movement and energy; commuters and tourists in London. The movement is captured by the people walking in opposite ways behind the two key women. The glance of the lady on the right draws your focus but there is also a question being asked; "What is the lady on the left saying and what is she holding in her hands?" Natural colour sets the scene and for me would not work if it was a black and white image.

My final image appears to be a natural event and portrays a couple sheltering under an umbrella feeding the pigeons. There is light; not quite sun but signs of shadows. The sky behind them is heavy with rain clouds offering a powerful backdrop and silhouetting the tall buildings. There is weight and energy in the storm clouds whilst the foreground offers peace and calm.