Underground Security RA(T)P

I took this shot as these three officers from the RATP Sûreté unit passed me in a corridor of the Paris Metro. The framing was pure reflex: centre-weighted, low-angle, fast shutter. I didn’t have time to fine-tune the exposure—the lighting was flat and mixed, with harsh fluorescence above and murky shadows dragging behind. But I didn’t correct much in post either. This is a moment that benefits from its rawness.

Their backs tell the whole story. The staggered stride, the swing of a baton, the compressed geometry of the underground corridor—they speak of tension, routine, and latent power. It’s not a confrontational image. The officers aren’t responding to a threat. But their presence still alters the atmosphere. This is security, observed from the periphery.

Technically, the image is rough. It’s high-contrast, with some motion blur and clipped highlights. But none of this detracts. In fact, the imperfections mirror the lived experience of commuting—fast, gritty, and often unseen. The grain softens the edges just enough to abstract the scene, turning it from a documentary snapshot into something slightly noir.