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Half a Second of Light: Photographer captures snippets of people at a station

In his series Half a Second of Light, Portuguese photographer José Quintela planted himself at a bus station in Lisbon, Portugal to wait and capture people who emerged from the gloom and walked through a spot of light.

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Person in white shirt and red shorts stands alone with a blue suitcase under a spotlight against a black background

From lone travellers dragging large suitcases to loved-up couples holding hands, the simple theme exposes something quite beautiful about human life.

Speaking of his work, José said: “We are invisible. At least until the moment when for a fraction of a second we find ourselves under a spotlight that makes us noticeable. When people cross a natural spotlight coming from a roof window, they’re like actors on a stage performing a play about everyday life. Characters who tell us their story before they return to complete darkness. And become invisible again.”

José is a portuguese copywriter who has a passion for photography. Follow his work on Instagram.

Via direct submission | All images courtesy of José Quintela

A woman in a floral dress walks through a spotlight at a bus station, carrying a red handbag and pulling a small wheeled suitcase behind her
Man in bright blue shirt and dark shorts standing in a spotlight against black background, from José Quintela's Half a Second of Light series
Two people walk through a shaft of light at Lisbon bus station, their figures casting shadows against the dark background
Man in red t-shirt walking through a spotlight at a bus station, carrying a small black bag, against a dark background
Two people walk through a shaft of light against a dark background, one wearing a red shirt and the other in dark clothing with red trousers
A figure in dark clothing stands in a single shaft of light against a black background, casting a long shadow on the ground below
A person in light-coloured clothing walks through a narrow beam of light at a bus station, carrying a large white suitcase against a black background
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