Photographer Max Boncina (@max.bon) is a member of the Alpha Collective who lives in New York City. He focuses mainly on one theme of photography: urbex. It is defined as a subset of architecture photography, involving ruins and dilapidated locations. With a special focus on color and storytelling, Boncina often finds a scene and uses his camera, creative vision and editing skills to tell the story he’s envisioned. We got the inside scoop on the story behind this image. Keep reading to learn how each step of the process was deliberate to get this shot with his Sony Alpha 1 and Sony 16-35mm f/2.8 G Master.

Photo by Max Boncina. Sony Alpha 1. Sony 16-35mm f/2.8 G Master. 15-secs., f/5, ISO 800

With a special focus on color and storytelling, Max Boncina of the Alpha Collective took several deliberate steps to create this unique shot with his Sony Alpha 1 and Sony 16-35mm f/2.8 G Master.

Finding The Perfect Scene

On a frosty winter night, I met up with a fellow explorer @ulteriormotiv3 and two photographers @kevynkurpiers and @dominik_hoang. We entered the cavernous interior of a large bridge - specifically the tower. An eerie yet magical orange light brings a mysterious element. And the vibe is further enhanced by the graffiti and street art on the walls. I seek out those destinations that society has forgotten.

Photo by Max Boncina. Sony Alpha 1. Sony 16-35mm f/2.8 G Master. 4-secs. f/11, ISO 500

Selecting The Gear To Fit Needs & Vision

For this scene, I used my Sony Alpha 1 and Sony 16-35mm f/2.8 G Master Even in these “particular”locations, I do not hesitate to bring my Sony Alpha 1. The build quality on this flagship camera is evident; sturdy yet ergonomic. Added with 50 megapixels and its dynamic range I’m ready for powerfully colorful images (and it caters to my large prints needs). The Sony 16-35mm f/2.8 G Master wide angle lends itself to the size of this “room.” The angles and architecture are only further accentuated by using this lens.

A Collaborative Creative Process

I am fascinated by all things science fiction. Years of watching television series, films and reading graphic novels have inspired my creative process. So as I was looking through the viewfinder of the previous photo; I conjured thoughts of The Flash or a Jedi and with @ulteriormotiv3 giving his own much needed insights. We agreed upon him walking behind me with his light on. However, the shot was tricky. Teamwork was paramount. One to check the viewfinder and hit the trigger, (remote trigger is a hard “no”. I want photographer eyes through the viewfinder), another to pose and one to walk behind with the light. The “walk” itself had to be measured and steady to sustain the evenness of the light painting. The shot had to be repeated several times. First a 6-second exposure, then a 10-second one, finally a 15-second one. I deliberately underexposed for the light trail was overly bright in comparison to the rest of the frame.

Bringing Out The Colors In Editing

Lightroom Classic is my groove. My editing is always done there and only there. This photo also appealed to both the Sony strength and my obsession with color. As you see in the landscape photo below, the lighting is mostly orange with some blue and yellow mixed in. However, my vision was in bold red. Therefore I desaturated the other colors. Also I had to counter the darkness and adjust exposure and shadows. Lastly, the brush tool to make my clothing a more uniform shade of black. Below you can see the before and after of my editing process.

Unedited/RAW Version by Max Boncina. Sony Alpha 1. Sony 16-35mm f/2.8 G Master.

See more of Max Boncina’s work on his Alpha Universe Profile and on Instagram @max.bon.