This Canadian photography student blew us away with his graphic depictions of the Montreal metro system. We caught up with Forsyth to discuss patience, the perfect image and his obsession with capturing every station on the network.
Tell us about the Montreal Metro Project and what you hope to achieve with it?
The Montreal Metro Project is an on-going photo series that I began work on in October of 2014. My goal with the series was to capture the unique architecture of Montreal’s 68 stations. Since then, I’ve been slowly and steadily growing the series covering about half of the stations thus far. With the series I hope to inspire Montrealers and visitors alike to see the metro in a new light and show people that beautiful design and architecture is all around us, even when we don’t have the time to stop and appreciate it.
What first drew you to photographing the metro system?
Taking the metro daily for years I’ve become so familiar with it. I’ve wanted to do a metro-related project for years but never pursued my interests until this series. Being a photography student, I jumped on the opportunity originally as an academic project. I enjoyed it so much I quickly adopted it as a personal project continuing it as a personal series. Since then I’ve spent days photographing it and learning everything I can about the system’s history and design. I’d highly recommend “Métro: Design in Motion” by John Martins-Manteiga. That book has been a constant source of inspiration for me and its my #1 source of metro information.
What do you think makes a strong image?
I think a strong image, in terms of metro photography at least, needs a few things. Motion is one of the key thing I look for. My favourites are moving escalators (they look like metal slides when shot with longer exposures) and metro trains as they pass through stations. I love the blue and white lines it makes when blurred. They make for strong graphic elements and a vibrant touch of colour for more monochromatic scenes. I like to look for strong framing elements like tunnels, walls, doorways, etc. Mainly, I’m drawn to graphic images, whether that be through colour, shape, lines, patterns, or a mix of all of the above.
How has your approach to photography changed since you first started out?
As a result of this project, my photos have become more graphic. The same things that I look for in a metro photo, I look for in a portrait or still life photo. I compose photos of people and things the same way I’d see a building, looking for strong shapes, lines, and colour.
What projects do you have coming up?
As for future projects, I hope to one day explore the metros of the world, such as Munich and Stockholm. As well, I’d like to continue using photography as a means to explore my interest in spaces in general and develop project of whatever catches my interest, whether that be churches, industrial factories, anything.
chrismforsyth.com
