22-MAR-2009
Bethesda Fountain, Central Park, New York City, New York, 2009
The Bethesda Fountain is the central feature of Central Park’s mall. Sculpted by Emma Stebbins, it was dedicated in 1873 and became known as The Angel of the Waters. While I was there, some children began to blow bubbles into the air, and as they drifted below the fountain’s basin, I made this photograph. Both angels and bubbles are the stuff of fantasy, and they seem to complement each other well.
22-MAR-2009
Skaters, Central Park, New York City, New York, 2009
There has always been skating in Central Park, and the tradition continues into the 21st century. The Wollman Rink was donated to Central Park 50 years ago, and it is currently operated by Donald Trump’s organization. I emphasize the rink in this wideangle, late afternoon view by exposing for the white ice and the shooting into the sun. This allows the image to darken, and only suggest the presence of the buildings that line the park, as well as abstracting the foliage of the park itself. The sun’s glare explodes into shafts of light that magically point to the ice skaters below.
22-MAR-2009
General Sherman, Central Park, New York City, New York
The gilded equestrian statue of General William Tecumseh Sherman is one of the most popular in the city. It stands in Grand Army Plaza on the southeast corner of the park, opposite the Plaza Hotel – a mecca for street performances. It is the work of sculptor Augustus St. Gaudens, who worked on this statue from 1892 to 1903. The statue of Sherman is considered to be one of the world’s finest equestrian monuments. Accompanied by Nike, the Goddess of Victory, Sherman is symbolically being led into the battles of 1864 that split the Confederacy in two, effectively ending the Civil War. I build the image around the soft golden coloration of the figures. The clouds parted just enough to produce reflective light that subtly illuminates both Nike and Sherman, while keeping the base, horse, and surrounding buildings in deep shadow. The play of reflective light energizes the figures, and brings the image to life.
23-MAR-2009
Civic booster, Chinatown, New York City, New York, 2009
New York’s Chinatown is the second largest Chinese enclave in the Western Hemisphere, trailing only San Francisco’s. I found this resident enjoying the sun on a cold March day in Columbus Park. The slogan on his hat tells us how he feels about his city.
23-MAR-2009
Street scene, Chinatown, New York City, New York, 2009
Chinatown is set within one of the oldest neighborhoods of Manhattan, once known as the infamous Five Points District, the most dangerous slum area of immigrant New York. In the 1960s, the population of Chinatown exploded, expanding into what once was known as Little Italy and the Lower East side, but gentrification is raising rents, and many Chinese are now moving to Queens and Brooklyn. The narrow side streets of the original Chinatown are lined with 19th century tenements and shops, such as the one in this photograph. I built this image around the dilapidated wooden molding that frames a set of windows holding a poster displaying a large close-up photo of a newborn infant. I can’t read Chinese, so I don’t know what cause or service the poster relates to, but its mysterious power is invisible to the woman who passes into my frame. She seems oblivious to everything but the music that fills the buds of her iPod. The image, which became even more mysterious after I abstract it by converting it to black and white, offers more questions than answers. What does the baby represent? Does the woman, who is not Chinese, live here, or is she a visitor, as I was? And what stories could this frayed and worn building tell us if it could speak?
23-MAR-2009
Street market, Chinatown, New York City, New York, 2009
Color is critical here – it is very lifeblood of the image. The reds, yellows, and purples draw the eye to the fruits and vegetables that fill the frame. The market itself is fully mobile – everything here came out of the graffiti covered truck that is parked in the background.
23-MAR-2009
Card game, Columbus Park, Chinatown, New York City, New York, 2009
Bundled against the chill, a card player ponders his next move. We know what his opponent has in his hand, the man in the red hat must guess before he commits. This image is about the moment of decision in a card game that is just one of the many that were going on in this park. Columbus Park is the only park in Chinatown -- the community’s outdoor rec room. It was built in the 1890s, replacing the notorious Mulberry Bend slum photographed by reformer Jacob Riis.
23-MAR-2009
Tourist traffic, Chinatown, New York City, New York, 2009
The streets of Chinatown are lined with vendors selling imitation perfumes, watches, handbooks, and souvenirs, which are largely purchased by tourists. Over 200 Chinese restaurants vie for their attention as well. This vendor specializes in selling New York City souvenir tote bags. All of them are probably made in China.
18-MAR-2009
Pearl Street, New York City, New York, 2009
I made this image from the ramp leading to the Brooklyn Bridge. It soars over Pearl Street, one of the busiest avenues on the Lower East Side. The late afternoon light abstracts the scene, silhouetting the figures crossing the street and turning the pavement into a river of brownish gold.
18-MAR-2009
Under the Brooklyn Bridge, New York City, New York, 2009
One of the first suspension bridges in the US, the Brooklyn Bridge was also the longest when it was opened with great fanfare in 1883. It took thirteen years to build, and for several years, its famed neo-Gothic towers were the tallest structures in the Western Hemisphere. Its designer, John Roebling, made it six times as strong as he thought it needed to be. As a result, the Brooklyn Bridge is still working 125 years later. I went down under the bridge on its Manhattan side and photographed a figure walking through one of the tunnels that supports the massive overhead ramp. The afternoon light is golden; its angle full of abstracting power, and the diagonal thrust of the figure’s arm echoes the line of the overhead shadow.
18-MAR-2009
The East River, from the Brooklyn Bridge, New York City, New York, 2009
My long telephoto lens draws the nearby ferryboats, the Statue of Liberty, the cranes of the Bayonne Military Ocean Terminal, and the distant Bayonne Bridge together within a single shot. Using spot metering, I expose on the sun's glittering reflection on the East River, turning the sky dark and making silhouettes out of everything else.
20-MAR-2009
The Statue of Liberty, New York City, New York, 2009
The Statue of Liberty is one of the most familiar icons of the United States. Dedicated in 1886, it has welcomed immigrants and visitors to America for more than 120 years. Sculptor Frederic Bartholdi drew on the ancient Colossus of Rhodes, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, for inspiration. A gift from France to the United States, the statue also was nurtured on the legend of Libertas, ancient Rome’s goddess of freedom. It does not stand still – it seems to step forward, her left foot crushing broken shackles. Her crown symbolizes all seven continents, and her torch signifies enlightenment. The tablet in her hand represents knowledge, and shows the date of the US Declaration of Independence. I made this photograph from the upper deck of a boat in motion. The sky was overcast, yet full of broken storm clouds. I position the statue over one of the brightest spots in the sky, a hazy sun which appears to breaking through at upper right. Exposing for the sun, I abstract the scene, yet I keep the color in the statue– the traces of green copper that give it so much of its identity. It is possible to draw many meanings from this image, but to me it represents the present state of the world, and my own country. Turbulent economies and terrible wars always cause suffering and can take a toll on human liberty – these are difficult times, yet this enduring symbol of freedom appears ready and willing to take them on.