federicocasal

Night-Piece

Buenos Aires, Argentina.
March 4, 2015.

Buenos Aires, Argentina.
March 4, 2015.
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X30

Aperture f/2.5 ISO 3200 Shutter 10/150 Focal Length 1600/100

upload_date

May, 2015

Views

218

Likes

+15

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Same photographer See all Behind The Lens

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Behind The Lens

Location

I took a 3-day alone trip to Buenos Aires and ended up walking great distances because I didn't want to take any buses or subways. I dressed very casually, almost as if I were a student there, and carried nothing in my backpack except the camera. This photo was taken on a street crossed by railroad tracks. I was returning to the hotel when I saw the train coming, so instead of crossing the street I stay where I was, which I liked better, and I waited, pretending I wasn't interested in anything in particular. As the train approached, I turned on the camera. It was already set to take pictures in black and white because I had decided that all the pictures of that trip were going to be taken that way. I took two or three photos while the train passed, quickly changing light settings between shots, and before it was all the way through, the camera was already in my backpack as if nothing had happened. For security and artistic reasons (capturing interesting everyday events with more instinct than precision) this approach seemed to be the ideal one.

Time

It was at the very end of the summer, around 8 o'clock at night.

Lighting

I love urban photography, especially the way artificial lights look at night. There's a vibrancy about them, since they suggest nocturnal activity, but they can also convey solitude, melancholy and decay, the neglected and luminous side of a city (all very photogenic). In this case, however, I wanted to show all the different types of light I was seeing, so even the night sky appears to be lit.

Equipment

Fujifilm X30, set to black & white with a film emulsion look

Inspiration

The main thing that attracted me to take this photo was the way the lights of the passing train would look. Old trains are among the most photogenic things in the world, especially at night.

Editing

No. Now I do a lot of post-processing in my cinema, but instant photography I like to do it as good as I can in the moment, just with the tools offered by the camera.

In my camera bag

Nothing special, just the camera.

Feedback

I like to think taking a good photograph is 50% being there, so being alert, being mindful (very important in art and why not, in life in general), is crucial to seeing the everyday extraordinary. Routine can be full of beauty; it always depends on how we see or on our ability to see the same things anew. As an opportunistic photographer, I'd recommend having the camera in a secure but easily accessible place, and set to the features you normally like the most. Having enough practice to be able to more or less know how the image is going to turn out depending on what the current settings in the camera are, is very, very helpful. Having an idea, however vague, of what you're shooting, how that specific light works, how the technical components are going to affect the picture, all allow you to make fast decisions. The same with music. The more you know, the better you can improvise. And a little luck is always welcomed.

See more amazing photos, follow federicocasal

federicocasal

federicocasal

Night-Piece

Buenos Aires, Argentina. March 4, 2015.

Behind The Lens

See more amazing photos, follow federicocasal

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Buenos Aires, Argentina.
March 4, 2015.

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