Happy Thanksgiving !!! While many are busy exploring Black Friday deals, I am posting a ‘Black Wednesday’ blog (with B&W pictures :-).
With street photography in mind, I went to New York and walked around Manhattan for three full days. Though I have been there more than 20 times in the past, I have never taken a close look at the city until this trip.
I made myself a goal to ask 10 people to take their pictures, as you may know, I like candid shots including wedding and family portrait pictures. However, end of the trip, I did not ask anyone. The city is in its dynamic mold, lively, converting, and vibrant. It is like a revolving door moving with the constant flow of people including myself, I snapped as I walked by. I did not either previsualize my shots nor did I try to compose before I shoot.
People are inside and out of the building and coming to and from multiple directions. City life does not seem to begin before it gets dark.
New York is made out of high-rise buildings. A few parks here and there are barely adequate for the vast amount of city residents to hang out and enjoy a slice of green. I imagined that the gyms are packed with working people to get their fast workout.
Morning jogging in Central Park is a treat. At Northwest, our parks are surrounded by the mountains, and here, New Yorkers have the mountains of their own, the countless skyscrapers, and tightly adjacent buildings.
I like nature and its quietness, I also like the action and speed in the big city. I feel energized when I move fast and see things in action.
On this note, I appreciate the life in a big city like NYC. These people were lined up in front of the building, apparently waiting to get in. Time is an asset in city life and there were certainly no idlers.
It seems to be dangerous enough to be on the skateboard rolling down the sidewalk. I was ready to cross the street and suddenly felt the need to dodge the skater who sneaked into the scene without me noticing it beforehand. And, the black limo was pulling into the pedestrian zone at the same time… Glad that all went well and there was no honking or yelling.
I watched the couple strolling with their eyes closed. Holding their hands, they seemed so calm and relaxing, not being distracted by the noise and traffic at all.
Not intentionally, I discovered that I took many pictures showing the fashion and style in the streets. People are conscious of their outlook. Lots of suits for working men, coats and boots for ladies.
It was a windy day. In front of Tiffany, I saw this lady repeatedly trying to cover her legs while walking and talking on the phone…
People walked their dogs (I saw a minimum two) in the busy streets. This man has had his dogs trained and was able to handle their street crossing in a very organized manner. He is apparently the owner. I heard that the students walk other people’s dogs to make some small money.
I just to grab a few shots from the streets to show you what I saw. I will be sharing more pictures in the next couple of posts.
photobychriskilpatrick.com 