My name is Lucien Liu, and I identify as a visual artist who primarily employs photography as my main creative tool. I find solace in capturing monochrome images that reflect the urban landscapes, conveying my perception of the timeless existence and the unstoppable flow of time.

Over the past two years, I’ve dedicated my time to closely observing the urban environment around me. In doing so, I’ve discovered hidden details in these places and noticed how my own emotions are influenced by them. Drawing from my personal experiences with urban scenes, I strive to attain a sense of balance that allows me to gain a deeper understanding of my own growth and existence.

My artistic approach often involves using delicate monochrome tones to transcend the viewers’ conventional notions of time and space. I take pride in hand-printing each photograph using a variety of techniques, resulting in unique prints that showcase rich details and offer an unparalleled optical experience. That’s precisely why I find the Leica M11 Monochrom and the Noctilux-M 50 f/1.2 ASPH. combination to be the perfect fit for my artistic expression.

To learn more about  Lucien Liu Please: www.lucienliu.com and follow via Instagram @liuxp

My name is Alex Ramos and I am a Bay Area based photographer who has a strong passion for railroads. I grew up near the railroad tracks, traveled by train when I was younger, and worked aboard trains for several years. This emotional connection drives my artistic practice to create an archive of photographs that highlight railroads and their role in the Western United States.

My photography covers many railroad themes (more on my website) and in the last month, I began a new project documenting a specific area where I grew up in Berkeley, California. This is the same area where I heard the sound of the train whistle that caught my attention as a young boy, which I ultimately followed with my camera.

With this new project, I wanted to break away from my comfort zone and move away from the lenses that are often my first choices, the 28mm and 50mm. I wanted something that I could use to photograph longer distances, of trains approaching, and photograph objects in great detail at a closer distance. Additionally, I knew that I wanted to add drama in photos of ordinary scenes that one might overlook. I chose a longer focal length lens that offered a wider aperture that could help me achieve a dramatic out of focus area.

My lens of choice was the 90mm Summicron f/2.0 APO SL. From the beginning of the project, I have used this lens and this lens only. It has been a refreshing exercise and challenge to photograph with only one longer focal length for a single project. It has helped me understand how to take advantage of what the lens can do, and at which perspectives to photograph mundane and ordinary scenes in a different way than I have before.

To learn more about Alex Ramos please: www.alexramosphoto.com and follow via Instagram @alexramosphoto