Two Suns and a Vision: Capturing Julia’s Waterfront Transit Hub

When I photograph a scale model, I get to move the sun to wherever I want (insert diabolical laugh here)!!! That’s exactly what happened when I photographed a model in an empty conference room created by Julia, an architecture student at the Boston Architectural College. Her project is a visionary transit hub that doubles as a ferry dock on Boston’s waterfront. Designed to blend into the natural landscape, the hub creates a rhythm of enclosure and release, guiding travelers through a seamless and calming experience.

Efficiency, comfort, and user experience are at the heart of her design, and her meticulous attention to detail shone through. For this shoot, I had not one, but two “suns” to work with: my main softbox and a second, carefully positioned gridded light source to sculpt the building’s lines. It’s a rare treat to control the light on a “building,” something I couldn’t ever do with the Prudential Tower or any other project!

Working with Julia, who’s on the brink of launching her career, was inspiring. The idea that this tiny structure could one day transform into a real waterfront transit hub is wildly exciting. Her project feels like a glimpse into Boston’s future, one meticulously crafted inch at a time.