Grand Central Station

In the lexicon of train stations, it is difficult to imagine anything more iconic than Grand Centra Station in New York. It ranks with Paris’ Gare du Nord and London’s Paddington and Chicago’s equally stunning Union Station. It has all the majesty of a bygone era and the frenetic movement of a modern transportation hub. It’s loud and relaxing, subtle and garish. It’s also a wonderful place to photograph. As Mary and I stood on the staircase opposite the Apple Store, we noticed the occasional pedestrian passing behind the art deco glass above. It was arresting.

Afternoon light illuminates the stunning multi-story window of New York's Grand Central Station.
AmpliarImágenes similares
Vista interior de la Grand Central Terminal en Nueva York con grandes ventanales arqueados y una tienda de Apple iluminada y llena de gente en la parte inferior.

Afternoon light enters Grand Central Terminal through the arched south windows and falls across the concourse in long diagonal shafts, catching the movement of commuters and the gold-painted constellations of the ceiling in the same breath. No tripod is permitted inside the terminal, which makes every image a negotiation between available light and the patience to wait for a composition to clear. The Leica M11 — a rangefinder camera as old in concept as photography itself — is ideally suited to exactly this kind of available-light architectural work, quiet and inconspicuous in a crowd. The terminal has been photographed ten thousand times; this image finds its own angle in the quality of the light.

Comments