Study Space at Jacob-und-Wilhelm-Grimm Zentrum University Library

This image of the study space was taken at the Jacob-und-Wilhelm-Grimm Zentrum university library. If you're traveling via public transportation, leave the train station and head towards Friedrichstraße. Cross the street and follow along Georgenstraße for roughly two minutes. Then, you'll spot a big white block building on your left where you'll enter through one of the main entrances of Jacob-und-Wilhelm-Grimm Zentrum. After getting inside, put your stuff (jacket and backpack) into one of the lockers (you won't be allowed to enter the library with it). Next, walk towards the library area and then turn left and take the stairs up to the fourth floor, which is the highest level where you can enter the reading area. Note that there is one level above but with workspace cabins (which wont be as good of a central view). By Metro: - Closest station: Train station Friedrichstraße (U6 and lots of S lines)

The study space at Jacob-und-Wilhelm-Grimm Zentrum university library is open year round during opening hours. You can photograph this location during any month for a familiar scene.

The featured photograph was taken five minutes before closure. Since I wanted a moody dark version of this location, I wanted there to be no sunlight present. When recreating these lighting conditions, you'll want the reading area to be quite dark — which will make for a great contrast to how this place looks during the day. For another great version of this location, visit in the morning right when the library opens. When I visited in the morning, I rushed up the stairs before anyone else could get to the available desks in the reading area to get a much brighter shot with no people in it.

Please be aware that you're taking a photograph with university students around you who want to enjoy the quietness and concentrate on studying.

I used the widest option of my lens to get more of the structure into the frame, thus making the space feel even bigger. I would also love to try my new 12mm lens here the next time I visit! The wider the better here, in my opinion.

You can compensate the low-light setting of the library by slowing your shutter speed. I went for only 1/5 sec, but I placed my camera on the handrail which eliminated motion blur. If I hadn't done this, I would have had to hold the camera with my arms and it wouldn't have been as stable.

You can try to bring a tripod, but you're technically not allowed to take it inside; however, you can contact them prior to your trip and just ask them nicely.

Check out Bahnhof Friedrichstraße for a mesmerizing, long hallway near the regional train tracks — but be aware that it's usually quite busy there during the day. Pro tip: go there around 9am on the weekend for some great photos before getting to this library, which opens at 10am for fewer people.