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Final Project: City After Dark

This project came from something I noticed one night while walking through the city. It had just rained, and the streetlights were reflecting off the wet ground. Everything looked a little unreal—like a movie scene. I remember just standing there, watching the lights flicker and cars pass by, and thinking, the city feels totally different at night. That moment inspired me to try and capture that nighttime feeling through my final project.

I focused on how urban spaces change after dark—the way shadows stretch across buildings, how neon lights give everything this colorful glow, and how people move through the city in a different rhythm at night. The city doesn’t sleep, it just changes. I wanted to show that contrast—between light and dark, stillness and movement, mystery and energy.

Aesthetically, I was really inspired by cyberpunk visuals and film noir lighting. I love how those styles use lighting to create mood and tell a story, and I tried to reflect that in my own photos. Shooting at night challenged me to really pay attention to the way light interacts with surfaces and people. Even simple things like a lit window or someone walking past a glowing sign became meaningful in the frame.

Overall, this project is about showing the city from a different angle—not the busy, crowded daytime version, but the quieter, more cinematic version that comes alive after sunset. I hope when people look at these images, they feel a bit of that same atmosphere I felt on those late-night walks.

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My influencer is Pia Riverola, her work feels soft, emotional, and deeply personal. Her photos don’t look staged—they capture everyday moments in a way that feels natural and intimate, like quiet memories. She often uses blur, light, and color to create a dreamy atmosphere, almost like scenes pulled from someone’s mind. A lot of her photos are taken during her travels, and they give me a sense of freedom and curiosity about the world. I think her style is really poetic, and it has a way of making simple moments feel beautiful and meaningful.

Reference Photo

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Final Project Proposal

Topic: The City After Dark

Project Description:

For my final project, I will explore how urban spaces transform at night through lights, shadows, and nightlife energy. Cities take on a different character after dark, with neon signs, streetlights, and illuminated buildings casting a vibrant, cinematic atmosphere. This project will focus on the contrast between light and shadow, the glow of neon signs, and the movement of people navigating the nighttime cityscape.

I will capture the essence of the city at night—its streets, architecture, and the people who bring it to life. Inspired by cyberpunk aesthetics, film noir lighting, and urban night photography, I want to highlight the mystery and beauty found in nighttime cityscapes.

I plan to experiment with long-exposure photography, reflections, and color contrasts to create dynamic compositions. The goal of this project is to document the city’s nightlife and showcase how artificial lighting shapes our perception of urban spaces.

3. Outcomes

6 photos total

Someone walking alone under neon lights, setting the mood.

A busy street corner glowing with red and blue neon.

Reflections of lights on a rain-soaked street, adding texture.

A silhouetted crowd against bright billboards, showing movement.

Car headlights cutting through the darkness for contrast.

A quiet alley with a single flickering sign, ending on a still moment.

4. Methods

For this project, I will use my Sony Alpha 6000 camera equipped with a standard zoom lens and a prime lens to optimize performance in low-light conditions. I will take advantage of natural lighting elements such as streetlights, neon signs, car headlights, and reflections to enhance the mood of each photograph. My shooting techniques will include long exposure, low-light settings, and high contrast to create a dramatic visual effect. Post-production editing will be done using Photoshop for color grading.

5. Reference

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1/250 F5.0 ISO 3200

1/800 F4.0 ISO 1600

1/200 F5.6 ISO 100

1/200 F5.6 ISO 100

1/250 F4.5 ISO 100

1/2500 F5.6 ISO 100

This photo series explores the relationship between shadow and light. I was drawn to how light can shape what we see and how shadows can add mystery or emotion to a simple scene. I didn’t plan the shots in advance—instead, I let the natural light guide me and captured moments that felt interesting or peaceful.

Through this series, I wanted to show how everyday places or objects can look completely different depending on the lighting. It made me slow down and really look at my surroundings. 

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Self-Portraits

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1/80 F5.0 ISO 1000

1/60 F5.0 ISO 1000

1/40 F5.6 ISO 800

1/200 F7.1 ISO 4000

1/400 F7.1 ISO 4000

1/100 F10 ISO 2500

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Assignment 1: choose a photographer

I chose Alfred Eisenstaedt because his photography feels real and full of emotion. He had a way of capturing moments that make history feel alive, and that’s something I really admire. His most famous photo, V-J Day in Times Square, is a great example—it’s not just a picture, but a story frozen in time. The joy and energy in that image are so strong that even today, people still recognize it.

What I like most about Eisenstaedt’s work is how natural his photos feel. Instead of staging shots, he focused on candid moments, which made his pictures more authentic. Whether he was photographing famous leaders or everyday people, he always managed to capture emotions in a way that feels personal. His work for LIFE magazine played a big role in shaping modern photojournalism, and I think it’s amazing how he could create such powerful images with simple equipment.