Canary Wharf : Canon 5D : EF 17-40mm (40mm) : .3.2 sec : f18 : Cokin Nuances ND5 filter
Canary Wharf in East London London has lots of potential for creating interesting architectural shots. One particularly interesting area is the new Crossrail development. The challenge in this shot was deciding how to treat and expose for the central strip light that could be viewed as a distraction but could be elevated in post-processing to become a key feature of the image.
This shot was taken mid-afternoon. It involved a great deal of waiting around for the right combination of people to walk through the tunnel. Using a tripod and long exposure I wanted to capture just a few of the city workers walking through the tunnel, having them positioned at points that would add to the strength of the composition. I chose an exposure that ensured they were blurred just enough to create a discernable but ghosted effect.
Ultimately, I decided to use the strip light as a key feature rather than try to subdue it in post-processing. This gave the photograph a slightly Star Trek feel which I liked and worked best in monochrome.