This small station has a big character, it is located away from any tourist spot in Brussels, and it does not disappoint.
Taking a metro in Brussels is like entering different art galleries along the way. Approximately 69 stations have different visual aesthetics in the form of art. In the '60s, during the planning of the metro system in Brussels, the local authorities found a way to enforce art components in the metro stations instead of the traditional visual advertising that we see around any other major European capital. With this concept, they filled a large part of the metro stations with art. But let's focus on the Pannenhuis metro station, located on the outskirts of Brussels.
From the outside it looks like a normal metro station, but the moment you pass through the first gate, you feel like you are entering a spaceship from a 1970s science fiction film, or an episode of Black Mirror. Inside the station you are immediately greeted by a corridor filled with gigantic rounded red lights, symmetrically placed all the way down to the platform, just the escalator area alone offers great photo opportunities. Then going down on the platform, the retro aesthetics of the whole space, combined with an incoming metro, make for a perfect slow shutter speed shot.
The best photography area is around the escalator, whether going up or down. The high ceiling lights and constant movement of people make it a great spot to play with optical contrasts between the elements of people, escalator, floor and ceiling, resulting in a visual illusion between the floor and the ceiling lights.
Also try capturing the quietness of the platform, with the rounded ceiling lights illuminating both sides and creating an eerie, moody atmosphere, as if the platform froze in time somewhere in the retro 1970s era.
There are plenty of visual opportunities for cinematic photography photography. It doesn't matter what time of the day due to the internal location, but it's recommended to bring a tripod to capture light trails and cinematic pixel-perfect images of this photogenic and surreal metro station in Europe.
“The Pannenhuis metro station has been used as a setting for commercial shoots, music videos, travel influencers, and photographers who admire the cinematic aesthetic potential of every corner of this tiny station.”
All images are copyright of AltSpots.For image licensing inquiries, contact thomas@altspots.com
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