Assignment 5: Submission

I finally got there, after much indecision and thought, I have selected the images for Assignment 5 and sent them to my tutor!


Introduction

Strangely, this the final assignment, proved to be the most difficult, but not in a way I expected. Planning and shooting was straightforward and I quickly assembled a set of images from which a final selection could be made. The problem came in post processing and selecting the final set of images. The fact that I tried to do this over the Christmas holidays with the usual distractions was not helpful, however, I really struggled with the image selection and edit. This was partly down to mental exhaustion after a long tough working year, but was mostly down to a creative glut following my efforts on the previous assignments. I can now see why University holidays are so long, they provide down time to clear the head (other than enabling the staff to get on with their research without pesky students). I find it very challenging to look at my own photographs and decide which work best, particularly when judged by an expert in the medium.

I have to admit that if I was doing this assignment to a specific deadline provided by a client I would already be in some trouble. Having said this, I have completed the assignment! The brief was the following:

"Produce photographs that can be used in an advertising campaign to encourage foreign visitors to use Munich's underground transport system. We would envisage that the posters would be displayed in arrivals at the airport or in guides to the city. Aim to develop 8-12 different concepts in a mix of portrait and landscape formats. Develop images that include 1 or more of the following properties of the system:

1. Colour and Architecture of the Stations
2. How the system integrates with the City
3. Use of the system by the people of Munich
4. The facilities available to the traveller

Develop sample slogans and poster concepts to support your imagery"

My inspiration came from my 5 years living in London and the superb London Transport posters of the last 100 years. My intent was to present photographs that captured the symmetries and structure of an underground environment, but also include social elements and humour. The set of images I have selected are intended to interest a visitor, to make them want to discover this amazing underground world and at the same time present Munich as a vibrant contemporary city.

Working in the underground system presented a number of challenges:

1. Lighting is completely artificial and not terribly bright.
2. This is a busy area with people moving through the system in a hurry
3. The authorities would not be terribly pleased to have someone making a detailed photographic study of the system – I asked a policeman about this and was informed not to. My knowledge of German law makes me suspect he was not applying the law correctly, however, I did not want to test the theory

Altogether this meant that I would have to work quickly, without any form of support or photographic lighting. Subsequently all but one of the images presented were taken with my full frame Canon 5D mark II (good high ISO performance) and a 24-105mm f/4 zoom lens with Image Stabilization. A better choice might have been a very fast wide prime (e.g. 24mm f/1.4), however, I do not have such a lens. If I had really been engaged by the MVV (The Munich Transport Authority) I would have been able to use supports and supplemental lighting. This assignment might be better seen as a preliminary study to try and win the business from the MVV.

I pre-planned each outing partly based upon my own knowledge of the system (I have been interested in the underground as a subject for some time), but also purchased a “Trainspotters” guide to the system, to the great amusement of my wife. When taking photo’s I simply rode the system and alighted at each station, spent 10 minutes scouting and shooting, then jumped on the next train to the next stop. I was only challenged once and this was by an old soldier uncomfortable with having his photo taken. I respectfully informed him that I would not photograph him and moved on to the next station. In the spirit of the London Transport posters I also wanted to include some destination shots that combined the “U” of the Underground sign with an interesting above ground backdrop.

As this is ultimately a photography assignment, I am primarily presenting the photographs, each one labelled with a slogan that seemed to work with the image – many thanks to my wife for a fun evening inventing these. However, I have also made up the images into a set of 10 Posters with a simple graphical design showing how I would use the image in a campaign poster, illustrating a different crop or orientation to the “Raw” photographs. These are included in the package of images. I have to admit to not being much shakes as a designer, but wanted to show how the images could be used in a poster.

PaP5-1: Don’t despair, we’ll get you There 
Westfriedhof Station
Canon EOS 5D Mark II, 24-105mm, 73mm, f/4, 1/20s, ISO 400

This is probably the least likely image to make its way into an advertising campaign, however, it worked nicely with the slogan. This was taken at the Westfriedhof station, a place possessing some quite striking lighting. All along the platform are a series of hemispheres that glow with bright primary colours. The neat thing is that the colour is from the paint on the inside of the hemisphere, the light is actually normal strip lighting and so presents a relatively simple white balance challenge. The blue side lighting adds a strange atmosphere, which accentuates the misery of the teenager sitting in the foreground.

PaP5-2: Fast, Clean, Safe 
Oberwiesenfeld Station
Canon EOS 5D Mark II, 24-105mm, 58mm, f/4, 1/20s, ISO 400

As part of the study I wanted to incorporate the actual rolling stock, but not allow it to dominate the frame. With this image I have tried to juxtapose the two forms of transport, the longish shutter speed adding a sense of movement to the oncoming train. I could have waited for the train to stop, but thought this treatment worked better. This image is intended to convey the safety of the system through the precious cargo in the baby buggy.

PaP5-3: A new Perspective 
Fürstenreid West Station Canon
EOS 5D Mark II, 24-105mm, 24mm, f/4, 1/15s, ISO 800

I have always enjoyed strong symmetry and perspective, the underground system has both these qualities in spades. I could have created 12 images of different stations, each offering dramatic colour as well as structure, however, I have limited myself to three such pictures. I am tempted though to repeat this exercise and expand to more stations with a view to creating a typography inspired by the Bechers. With this photograph, I have broken the symmetry by allowing a figure (and a train) to add a point of interest within the frame. Images such as this risk becoming sterile, this is a transport system, not a piece of sculpture, although the architects clearly had both in mind.

PaP5-4: Refresh your Journey 
Münchener Freiheit Station
Canon EOS 5D Mark II, 24-105mm, 35mm, f/4, 1/20s, ISO 400

I included images from this station in Assignment 3 and so needed to find a different view of the station that would add to what I had already submitted. Many of the stations have small kiosks on the platforms at which it is possible to buy some food or drink, this image is intended to illustrate that. I have carefully framed it so that in the top corner is the word Münch, a small play on words. This is lost in the posterized version.

PaP5-5: Explore Inner Space 
Olympia Einkaufzentrum (OEZ) Station
Canon EOS 5D Mark II, 24-105mm, 24mm, f/4, 1/8s, ISO 400

Beneath the OEZ is a maze of tunnels interconnecting two separate subway lines. This is a series of steps that drops from one line to the other revealing a cavernous open space containing strange structural and lighting elements. This is my second image that tries to exploit the strong symmetries of the underground system. The shutter speed is really too low here, I am not concerned about the blurred figure, in fact I think she adds some movement, however, the image is not sharp enough and I could have better centred myself to fully maximise the symmetry. Room for improvement, but still I hope an interesting composition.

PaP5-6: Colour your Journey
Holzapfelkreuth Station
Canon EOS 5D Mark II, 24-105mm, 58mm, f/4, 1/15s, ISO 800

This is one of the newer stations in the system, designed with a wonderful sense of colour. The architect has taken advantage of the curved platform to create a spectrum of yellows turning into the distance, which I find very appealing. In the middle distance two passengers wait for a train whilst a third has unfortunately allowed his posterior to invade my image. I guess that the nominal client would request some Photoshopery, however, I find it amusing.

PaP5-7: Turn the Corner 
Marienplatz Station
Canon EOS 5D Mark II, 24-105mm, 24mm, f/4, 1/8s, ISO 400

So far all of my pictures have been on or above the platforms, this one is taken in the interconnecting tunnels at the busiest of Munich’s stations, a tunnel newly created to handle the vast crowds attending the 2006 World Cup. I find this location fascinating, offering powerful colour and shape. Here I have deliberately opted for a long exposure and waited for a suitable subject to walk through the frame. In this case I got two for the price of one, the dark foreground figure coupled with the red figure walking out of the back of the frame. Other images with more people lost the sense of shape and colour of the tunnel.

PaP5-8: In Tune with the City
Fürstenreid West Station
Canon EOS 5D Mark II, 24-105mm, 58mm, f/4, 1/10s, ISO 800

In all of my submissions I have identified my personal favourite image, this is the one for Assignment 5. It is the third image exploiting symmetry, however, this time I have gone for as pure a geometry as possible. I have taken the photograph from low down, attempting to over-emphasize the central pillar and the colour of the concert posters covering it.

PaP5-9: Unexpected Exits 
Richard-Strauss Strasse Station
Canon EOS 5D Mark II, 24mm TS-E, 24mm, f/11, 2s, ISO 100

Emerging above ground, my technical options increased massively, out came the tripod and tilt-shift lens to create an unashamedly architectural study. I wanted, as part of the theme, to also incorporate some of the above ground elements of the system and superimpose them against what a visitor might find if they travelled to that station. I took this at dusk attempting to balance the artificial and natural light, slightly earlier might have been better. The square crop for the poster better emphasizes the UBahn element.

PaP5-10: Illuminate your Visit 
Marienplatz Station
Canon EOS 5D Mark II, 24-105mm, 67mm, f/4, 1/20s, ISO 800

My second above ground image still limited me to a hand held camera, as it is taken in a very crowded area in amongst people enjoying the Christmas Market. This is very much a compromise photograph, I would like to have included the crowd, but the lighting on them was either too dark or they were standing in front of brightly lit stalls that would have blown out the picture. I opted to shoot over their heads and try to capture the snow covered Gothic architecture of the cities town hall. The image was very noisy and so I have lost detail in reducing the noise. Clearly this would be more successful with a longer exposure using a tripod, but that would probably have led to the destruction of my camera in the crowd. There has been quite a dialog on the OCA forums concerning Sentimentality in Art, this is without doubt a sentimental image, but is I feel the image that best captures the spirit of the old London Transport posters and if you want to attract people to use your city, such a place helps to sell!