tonyoconnor

Shanghai Subway

Canon EOS 600D

settings

Aperture f/3.5 ISO 200 Shutter 1/25 Focal Length 1800/100

upload_date

Sep, 2015

Views

267

Likes

+23

Awards

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Absolute Masterpiece

Peer Award

Magnificent Capture

All Star

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Behind The Lens

Location

This shot was taken while jammed in between dozens of commuters on a Shanghai subway. I was studying Mandarin in university there and spent the evenings getting lost and usually having quite hectic adventures trying to return home. The Chinese public transport systems are like nothing I'd ever experienced; a fast-paced and brutal world unto themselves.

Time

This was taken about 6 or 7pm; rush hour for the Shanghai Metro. It was so crowded I struggled to even remove my camera from my bag and raise it above my head for the shot.

Lighting

Well, I didn't really have space for a full lighting rig, so I had to make do with the strip lights running along the carriage. Loved the harsh contrast they brought, and they created some nice leading lines at the same time.

Equipment

This was shot with a Canon 600D and the kit lens: 18-55.

Inspiration

Shanghai is a hectic, crowded place. To be honest, it massively stressed me out when I first moved there. While walking around with my camera and trying to familiarise myself with the place through my lens, I always found myself drawn to the moments of peace within chaos. The more chaotic the situation, the more quick and clever I had to be to find these moments. When pressed on all sides by a sea of bodies I looked up and saw the placid gentleman in the middle of the frame and was lucky enough to capture him.

Editing

I did some work in Lightroom to convert to black and white, and upped the contrast/clarity to bring out the chrome. The most obvious bit of manipulation is the inversion of the pic, which I did to bring out the central subject more. I like the way the eye is drawn first to him, before the wrongness of the rest of the photo is realised.

In my camera bag

Nowdays I'm using an 80D, usually with an 18-200mm lens attached. I love how adaptable it is for the kind of street photography I do, allowing me to shoot an entire scene or an individual subject with minimal adjustment. When shooting people or at night I usually switch to my 35mm prime.

Feedback

It's often in the most challenging situations I find my most interesting photographs. Instead of lamenting the environment; the lack of light, the lack of space, the wrong lens on the wrong camera, just adapt. In every circumstance, no matter how challenging or what gear you're pack, there is a great photo. You just need to find it, which often requires a bit of lateral thinking (and realistically, post processing).

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tonyoconnor

tonyoconnor

Shanghai Subway

Behind The Lens

See more amazing photos, follow tonyoconnor

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