Early Morning’s Cleanup

The time goes by, and the song remains the same. Work until late night, clean up early in the morning.

Shot handheld, early light bleeding in from camera right. The street’s been emptied of narrative clutter—no cars, no movement, just the woman mid-bend, transferring waste from broom to bag. It’s not staged. She didn’t know I was there. I waited until her back arched into that angle, arms extended, the brush and dustpan forming a triangle at ground level.

The framing is offset deliberately. She occupies the lower right quadrant. The left side is held empty—just shuttered shopfronts and a corridor of fading lines. This void gives her effort weight. No spectators. Just a task repeated.

Colour grading is restrained. A slight desaturation to remove modern gloss, but not enough to fall into pastiche. The red of the dustpan anchors the frame. Her floral blouse and white skirt pull her forward from the background. Shadows remain soft, but legible. I didn’t raise blacks. Early work happens in half-light.

Technically: shot at f/4, 1/250s, ISO 400. Focus locked on her hand. Depth of field shallow enough to separate her from the architectural background without blurring context. Minimal post beyond curve adjustment and colour toning.

The strength of the image is rhythm. Not visual rhythm—routine. Broom, bag, bin. Day after day.  Time passes. Work continues. The street will refill soon. She’ll be gone before it does.