The photo was taken with spot metering to emphasize the paving stone-like light on the road surface that shines through the skylight of the station. The motif of the continuous spots of light visualizes the passing time. The woman in the back is represented as the protagonist of the story, as if she were beginning the first chapter.
Asako Naruto is a Japanese photographer based in Madrid, trained in design at Musashino Art University and art history at Nagoya University. Her work explores traces of absence and untold urban stories, including a Madrid train-station series and playful work using prisms and split diopters. Since 2022 she has won consecutive Grand Prix awards, including the Paris International Street Photo Awards and B&W International Awards, plus recognition from All About Photo Awards 2026, juried by Steve McCurry. Her first photobook, All the Fading Words, was published by Snap Collective, Denmark, 2025.