Few Are Chosen
Portraits in the Subway
An introduction to the place, its atmosphere, and the mindset needed to photograph it.
This video sets the tone before any image is made.
Aproaching . 7 min
Those Who Looked First
Learning with those who mastered it before us.
1938 / 1941
1938 / 1941
1938 / 1941
1938 / 1941
Pre Production
First things first
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Weather
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External weather matters less than expected.
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Cold or rainy days: often produce fuller cars and more introspective expressions.
Location
EVERY STATION OR TRAIN IS A LOCATION
Best time to shoot
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Avoid peak tourist hours if you want to have more space
Suggested Equipment
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24–35mm: context, interaction, storytelling
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Small, discreet cameras
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If your camera can be operated remotely through smart phone, it's a good choice
Production
Shoot first, edit maybe
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What to look for
Revealing interior scenes
Detached from their surroundings
Most of all look for characters
Revealing interior scenes
SHOOTING LIST
1. Open doors
2. Passengers on phones
3. Reflections
4. Emptiness
5. Lost gaze
6. Characters
Lets get to the image . 8 min
We’ll break down a selection of photographs from this assignment — how they were made, the decisions behind each frame, and why certain choices mattered more than others.
Post Production
That really matters
Editing
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Editing as direction . 6 min
This video explores how different editing choices can shift meaning, narrative, and authorship.
Color Grading
From Capture to Final . 12 min
A practical walkthrough of turning raw files into finished images.
COLOR PRESETS
Publishing
Show time. If the work stays on a hard drive, it’s not finished.
Newspaper Zine
For this assignment, consider publishing the work as a newsprint photo zine.
Paper was once the subway’s natural habitat — folded across laps, shielding faces, absorbing time between stations. During the years when Walker Evans photographed riders, newspapers were part of the landscape.
Canon R5 RF 35mm Lens f 4.0 - 1/2000 - ISO 1600
Canon R5 RF 35mm Lens f 4.0 - 1/2000 - ISO 1600
Canon R5 RF 35mm Lens f 4.0 - 1/2000 - ISO 1600
Canon R5 RF 35mm Lens f 4.0 - 1/2000 - ISO 1600
After Hours
Enjoy the ride
Bars and Restaurants
Walker Evans should have been here himself
Historic, dim, intimate. Wooden booths and soft shadows.
Walker Evans should have been here himself