K E Y H O L E
© Photo by maxxsmart

Description

Marin Civic Center - San Rafael California
I've looked at this stairwell for well over a year now. I've photographed it once, but never liked the composition. It's not an easy space to work with. A 1.5 meter raised section with rocks, plants, and garden lighting sits in the way of composing straight up. There is no way of using a tripod here without special permission, and the lighting is a bit low for handheld work. Frank Lloyd Wright designed this interior with the intention of projecting "space" for its occupants , so the levels become wider as you look up. With each level becoming less and less visible from below, it's hard to align each set of lines in a way that shows in a photograph. The mix of natural light that comes in from the large skylight (not seen here), and the recessed lighting in the stairwell is less than ideal for clean, uninterrupted light.
After many visits, and studying old images for the past year and a half, I walked away with an image that I feel compliments this particular space.

Handheld
1/60 second exposure
ISO 800
17mm @ f/4

Tags

stairs, shadows, monochrome, marin county, marin civic center, light, grey, california, black and white, Frank Lloyd Wright