On October 11, so-called “snapshot day” I was on my way out of the subway on 23rd street when this image struck me. Maybe not in a deep, emotive sense, but in an awe of the visual conception before me. When last week, we examined the work of other photographers, I was drawn towards the work of Brassai, particularly Backstage at the Folies-Bergere. What held my gaze was his use of a unique perspective, sloping planes and diagonals leading the viewer into the photograph, and dynamic contrast between light and dark. All of these elements seemed to coalesce as I mounted the first stair of the subway exit.

As someone who grew up in the suburbs, what is striking as you step out into the street is that everything always seems to be going “up.” In Manhattan, the towering skyscrapers stand over you and rows upon rows of mounting windows ascend toward the sky. It is impossible to escape the presence of these domineering structures of concrete and glass. So for me, capturing the grandiosity of the rising buildings serves to convey my bewildered yet awed perception of New York, immense and soaring above me.

One other thing that stood out to me in that moment of inspiration was the lone woman reaching the top of the stairs. In the city, it seems unusual not to be packed into a crowded bus or rustling past dozens of strangers on the sidewalk. This was her single instant of solitude before entering the hurry shuffling down 23^rd street. I felt like I was capturing a unique moment of respite from Manhattan and all its chaos. The buildings looming over her serve as a reminder that she is only but one of many to be under their shelter, seemingly small and insignificant.

My favorite part of this photo is how the composition came together so naturally. Lines and diagonals play a strong role in the movement of this photo, bringing you “up,” as I wished to convey. The railings guide the viewer up towards the lone stranger and the vertical orientation of the bricks and rising building pull the image upward to really create the sensation of that limitless height. The contrast from the dark stairway to the bright open sky also bring you up from the depths, while the woman’s bright red coat grabs you. I’m really happy with how my photo came out.