Last Updated on 09/26/2014 by Chris Gampat
Image by Bruce Couch. Used with permission
When one looks at an escalator, they usually see a bunch of stairs moving up and down depending on the direction. But a single long exposure image could make it look much different. That’s how Bruce Couch created the image above with his pinhole camera. Bruce used an Innova 6×9, Itâs built by a good friend of his–Don Pyle in Portland Oregon. The camera has an aperture of Ĉ120, and this one has a focal length of about 30mm. The image is the result of a 45 second exposure shot with the camera on a gorillapod.
Bruce got inspired by seeing a digital shot someone did of an escalator from a much higher angle. “What makes this perfect for pinhole is that details donât matter, this is about composition and lines.” says Mr. Couch. “The thing that draws me to pinhole photography is the simplicity, you have the variables to deal with composition, film, and exposure timeâĤthatâs it.”
The image was taken at a convention center where Bruce works. He shot it hours before anyone got there after he set the camera up with Velvia film, metering and shooting.
“Since I shot this I have been experimenting with other escalator and moving walkway images, this is shot with the camera on the steps moving with the subject.”
More of Bruce’s pinhole work can be found here.
