On Storefronts and Finding Vivian Maier

Photo by myself on Macdougal Street, in the Village.

The insides and outsides of the little chili shop drew my attention. Lucky 777 was as red as red can be.

I took this photo last summer. After a quick search though, I found that Lucky 777 has closed (!). It had mixed reviews on Yelp. Some of the complaints were price driven - $9 bowls of chili. Alas.

On another front, there is a great little slideshow on the New Yorker website, featuring candids by Vivian Maier, who lived in Chicago in the 1960's. Born in New York, Maier worked as a nanny but took incredibly striking street photos and movies in her spare time.

Maier's work was discovered by a man doing research for a book he was writing. She had left some 100,000 negatives behind. Not even her close friends knew that she took photos, during her lifetime.

The story of uncovering the mystery of this supremely talented woman is documented in a recent movie called 'Finding Vivian Maier'. It looks fascinating, and includes interviews with her friends and children she had helped raise.

Screenings of this documentary are scheduled through August, throughout the States.

For a preview of this movie, click here.
For the Vivian Maier slideshow on the New Yorker website, click here.
For a recent article on Slate, click here.

Related posts: Outside Big Nick's, on the Upper West Side, Outside Pinisi Bakery, on East 4th Street, and West 10th Street, at Night.

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Street Crossing, on Fifth Avenue

Photo by myself, around Fifth Avenue and 50th Street, in Midtown.

We had a chilly day in the city, Christmas Day.

If there is ever a 'good' day to be in New York in terms of traffic, I would suggest Christmas Day. Not many people are driving about, and parking rules are suspended. So you can park just about anywhere.

I used my new Canon 75-300mm lens to take the above photo. It is taking some getting used to, since you can only take photos of things more than 5 feet away. Unfortunately if you see something very interesting nearby, you can't take a photo of it (!).

Related posts: Lost in a Crowd, in Midtown, Strolling Down Sixth Avenue, in the Sun, and Business as Usual, in Midtown.

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On the Chrysler Building, Empire State Building and Deadlines Every Second

Photo by myself around 24th Street and Eighth Avenue, in Chelsea.

At one Chelsea public school playground, kids can climb the Empire State Building and Chrysler Buildings to their little hearts' delight. I am sure King Kong impersonations run rampant.

As you can tell from the white sky and barren tree, this photo is from the stash. We are recovering from our 12-hour flight home from Japan.

We flew JAL (Japan Airlines), which we highly recommend. We came home to a very happy reunion with our dog, Rupert, who spun himself around like crazy til he dropped on the floor in shock, haha.

Then sometime around 6 pm yesterday, Mark and I felt like those cartoon characters desperately in need of toothpicks to keep our eyelids open. Now we were up at 4 am. It will take several days to re-adjust.

Before collapsing, we so were lucky to catch a documentary on PBS by chance. The hour-long movie is called Deadline Every Second, and contained interviews with 12 Associated Press (AP) photojournalists.

Most of the photographers are men, and I can see why; their job can be very physical. I was particularly inspired by Tara Todras-Whitehill, a female photographer in the Middle East, who literally had to do battle against pushy crowds every day.

Many of the photojournalists are stationed in war areas. (Be warned, some of the footage is graphic). All of the photographers are fantastically gifted and passionate about photography. I was riveted and moved by what they do - make sense and stunning visual art out of sometimes horrific circumstances.

If you are interested in photography, do a search of your public television station schedule. If the movie isn't scheduled, suggest it!

Unfortunately, the full movie is not online, but the dvd is available on Amazon. For more information, see the Deadline Every Second webpage, here.


Related posts: On the Rockefeller Tree and New York in Pictures, Shooting Film, in Tribeca and the Times, and The Look, Outside the Dakota.

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On Taking Naps Outside and Images Around the Globe

Photo by myself, in Bryant Park.

Some photos from the stash show a couple things: the cliche about New Yorkers being overworked may be true after all, and that Bryant Park serves as a convenient rest stop.

Bryant Park is surrounded by tall-ish office towers. In the warmer months it's difficult to find a seat, let alone a spot of grass on the lawn.

During lunch, I have seen men take off their ties, shirts and undershirts to tan. Egad.
 

-- Just before leaving for vacation, I was happily involved with a gesture that was romantic on different levels - a fellow from Poland named Tomasz wrote to me, requesting photos taken at New York landmarks. The only hitch - that I hold up a sign saying 'WNUCZU *heart* KUCIA'.

I wrote back saying I would do it, and then procrastinated for a few days. I was busy preparing for my trip, and wound up taking the photos the day before I left.

Tomasz told me he was compiling a set of photos taken around the world for his girlfriend's birthday. I was floored by the video he made, showing photos taken in Dubai, London, Paris and Tokyo, among other places.

In the world of Photoshop, this is a refreshing idea - to show photos that are taken at particular places, rather than slapping text on images from the comfort of one's couch. And it's refreshing that photographers around the world joined to help a perfect stranger.

Enjoy!

The first four New York photos of Times Square, the New York Public Library, the Empire State Building and the Plaza are from me.

 Related posts: Zzzzzzzzzz, As the World Walks By, on Fifth Avenue, and Stealing a Nap, Underground.

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On Playing Numbers and Photography 101, in Midtown

Photo by myself, at 39th Street and Eighth Avenue in Midtown.

The weather has truly been resembling March lately. It's been slightly chilly and blustery, sending everyone running to their long coats and hats.

Also, the Megamillions sweepstakes drawing on Friday for over $550 million dollars turned up three first place winners around the country. Despite that, people are still playing the lottery. Above, the guy on right was playing one of those instant win games, where you scratch off areas to see whether you've won.

-- I experimented a little before deciding to post the photo above.

Usually I don't mess around with the proportion of an image. More often than not, I post using a 4:3 proportion, or 1200 x 900 dpi, as in the photo below:

For some reason, the photo didn't look right. So I changed the cropping proportion to 3:2, or 1200 x 800 dpi. The result is more horizontal and oppressive. The overall layout seemed to reflect the body language of the woman man in the center (!).

Finally, there were some nice shadows on the woman's man's face, so I changed the values to monochrome. The bleak image and monochrome seemed to work well together.



What do you think? Is the flatter image better? Do you prefer the color over black and white? Is using black and white a gimmick?

Let me know. I'm curious!

Related posts: On Chrystie Street and Photography 101, On Stolen Glances and New York Moments, and Bewildered, in Times Square.

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On the Rockefeller Tree and New York in Pictures

Photo by myself in Rockfeller Center, around 50th Street and Fifth Avenue.

The stretch of Fifth Avenue between 35th and 59th Streets was absolutely packed with people, Wednesday afternoon. Many people are probably here to celebrate New Year's Eve.

This year's tree is a Norway Spruce over 70 feet tall, from Pennsylvania. It is lit with 47,000 LED lights that are partially powered by solar panels.

I usually have a deep aversion to crowds (!) and this stretch of Fifth Avenue was insanely packed with people. The opportunity to take a few photos is hard to pass up.

--
By the way, the Lens Blog on the NY Times site recently posted a collection of photos of New York from this year's news. It's a pretty good assortment of striking images.

To see the Lens Blog post, click here.

Related posts: The Rink at Rockefeller Center, On Kids in the Slope and in the Country, and Have Yourselves a Very Merry Christmas.

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Back to Work, Downtown and the Leica DLux 5

Photo by myself in lower Manhattan.

Yes, it's Monday again. How on earth does that happen?

Apologies for the lack of a Halloween photo. I didn't have anything 1/2way decent that represented both the holiday and NYC. With luck, I'll snap something on Monday. Crossing fingers!

In the meantime, I am excited about my newest toy. Mark bought me a Leica Dlux 5 for my birthday after much, much waffling on my part.

Me: No, I don't need anything. The economy is terrible. I can make do with this scratched lens.

What was I thinking???!


Everything about this camera is simple and beautiful, including the packaging. This one sports the optional grip.

I've only tried a few shots with it, since we had terrible weather and I couldn't figure out all the buttons. Already I am seduced by the results. The Leica seems like a great alternative to a big SLR.

Normally, I am against animal testing ;-) My willing victim stood patiently, his eyes locked on a small rubber ball. He wore a maniacal grin.





Of course, a nice camera is nice, but if you're not putting in the time to take photos, a nice camera will not get you anywhere.

More later!

Related posts: On Canal Street and Annie Leibowitz, Roaming Free, in Prospect Park, Brooklyn and Cooling Off Hot Dogs, in Prospect Park.

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Taking a Look, Around Midtown and the Daily Grind

Photo by myself, in Midtown.

Two visitors wandered the streets of Midtown, Tuesday afternoon.

--
For the last few weeks, I've been going through another rut in taking photos.

It happens. Very often.

Part of the problem, I think, is that it's getting dark so early, now. I will scramble out of the office around 6:30 if I'm lucky, and try to get a few desperate shots in the the fading light.

The other part of the problem is that it's hard to find something new in something you do all the time. How do you look at the same subject with fresh eyes? Often I will get home, scroll through 100 images and not like any. Ugh.

In any creative field, there are bound to be ups and downs. It's my experience though, that when the down time finally passes, I feel that I've learned something. (Not quite sure what the 'something' is, though, I'll have to get back to you on that).

Moral of the story? If you're in a photo rut, hang in there, buddy! It is bound to pass. I'm sure Michelangelo didn't show up to work clicking his heels every day.

This is just how your eyeballs let go of comfortable techniques.

Related posts: Street Corner, in Midtown, Looking Like a Tourist, in Midtown and Say Cheese, in Times Square.

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On Midtown Crowds and Guerilla Photography

Photo by myself around 34th Street and Sixth Avenue, in Midtown.

On one of the busiest street corners in New York, the setting sun cast a flattering glow on everyone in sight.

Just near Macy's are several entrances to the 34th Street subway. Bajillions of pedestrians cross the streets here every day.

That's just my estimate, not scientific fact. ;-)

--
While on the street Tuesday, I was thinking of some helpful hints about taking candids. I am not at all the expert about candid photography, and I encourage you to survey many street photography blogs for tips. But I did have a few words of advice.

1. Comfy shoes.
I know, I know, this tip falls under Practical Knowledge 101, but there is truth to it.

Don't try out your new platform sandals while attempting to take candids. Sidewalks are uneven and it's easy to get caught up fiddling around with your camera settings.

The last thing you need is to crash to the ground. Wear sensible shoes you're familiar with. If you feel confident on the street, it will show in your body language and in your photos.

2. Know your camera really well.

It just takes a little practice. Know how to adjust your aperture, shutter speed and ISO without needing the manual. Be able to manipulate one setting really quickly.

Candids aren't like landscapes or portraits. You're taking a photo on the fly of people who are moving. Best case scenario, you take multiple shots of any one scene so you can select the best image later.

If you plan on taking candids and you're shopping for a camera, test the cameras out first for ease in making adjustments.

3. Be subtle.

If you don't want to draw attention to yourself, try this trick: Focus your camera in a completely different direction from your subject. Then swing around and quickly take a shot of the scene you want.

Also, if your camera is black, it helps to wear a dark colored top.

4. Bring your camera everywhere you go.

Everywhere. Every day.

5. Don't be shy.

I think many photographers are more the retiring sort. We're watchful, we notice things. It might not be your nature to take candids, which might seem intrusive.

Take baby steps. Pretend you're taking photos of something going on behind the person you have in mind.

Remember that half of your face is hidden by the camera! And remember that the worst thing that could happen is someone asking you to delete a photo.



Related posts: On Street Photos in Midtown and Online, On the Times and the People and On Street Photography and Grand Central Station.

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On Colorful Characters and Photos in the Wall Street Journal

Photo by myself in Union Square.

Several colorful characters were out in Union Square, Monday night. Victor Sheely, a street performer, posed for me above.

Victor, aka 'Coyote Butterfly', tells stories and illustrates comic books. Victor often performs in galleries as a street artist, but he was out in the beautiful Spring air, yesterday.

There is a large open space at the south end of Union Square. Often it is the site of political protests, artistic performance and markets, sometimes all going on at once.


A man dressed in colorful garb, in the name of tourism. Several banners advertising Jamaica were on display.

--
You might not think of the Wall Street Journal in terms of photography or photographs of New York, but now, you should.

I have long associated the Wall Street Journal with those finely drawn portraits of people. These days, they have a special photo section online. They post one photo each day from around the world, and a bunch of photos each week from New York City.

One recent week in April was especially spectacular. The weeks' photos include an aerial view of Midtown right before a thunderstorm, a spectacular Easter bonnet, and some wonderful candids.

See the week for April 22 through April 29 on the Wall Street Journal blog, here.

Related posts: City Portraits - Coney Island, The Throngs in Union Square and Reflections Apres Happy Hour.

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Say Cheese, West 4th Street

Photo by myself on 12th and West 4th Streets, in the Village.

A couple posed for photos, not long ago. I was lucky enough to be standing across the street.

You can just see the photographer in the background.

--
By the way, if you haven't noticed, the New York Times has started charging for content online.

You are allowed to read 20 articles for free each month. After that, you are directed to a subscription page if you try to go beyond the first page of the paper/site. Subscriptions range from $3.75/week to $8.75/week, depending on the type of devices you have. Those already getting the paper delivered to their home have free access to the site.

The paper has been not been doing well and it was just a matter of time before readers were charged for content.

TGIF everyone!

Related posts: Couple, Times Square, Older Birds, on Fifth Avenue and The Proposal, in Rockefeller Center.

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On Meditation and Taking Candids

Photo by myself on Beech Street, in Boston.

Above, the only halfway decent photo I managed to take during my weekend in Boston.

Photographers were absolutely not shy, Sunday morning. They stood very close, while a woman was in meditation. The woman was a member of the Falun Gong, a religious group that uses meditation to attain spiritual well-being.

--
In the four years that I've been taking photographs regularly, I've seen an incredible change on the streets. I'm curious to know whether other people see it, too?

First, people in their daily lives seem much more on guard about being photographed. Street photography has become much more commonplace, and it seems harder to take good candids.

Second, photographers are bolder than ever. I'm not sure whether the paparazzi have influenced us, or the breakdown of boundaries via Facebook and other trends?

The above scene would certainly not have happened ten years ago. I truly hope this does not become a common sight.

Related posts: Stick Em Up, in Madison Square Park, On Contortionists and Viral Videos and Sun Salutation, in the East Village.

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A Moment on the Subway Platform

Photo by myself on the subway platform.

Heading home Thursday night, I felt a bit sad that I hadn't taken any photos all day. It was stressful day at work (this entire week has been terribly stressful). Then I spotted a woman on the subway platform.

She had wonderfully defined features. And even though the light was fluorescent, it was great. Then we heard the sounds of an approaching train. The front light was just visible, coming along the track.

The train pulled in. We all stepped on.

If there is a message about photography that I can impart, it would be this - it doesn't take much. There is something special even in the mundane moment. It can be the color or the angle or the quality of light.

Of course, you don't even need a camera. You just need at least one eyeball. The camera is just there to record and preserve and share the moment, later on.

Related posts: The Subway Platform, 59th Street, On Taking Candids and A Much-Needed Nap.

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Merry Xmas Eve, from Fifth Avenue

Photo by myself on Fifth Avenue, around 52nd Street.

A man gazed up at the brilliant decorations surrounding the Cartier flagship store in Midtown.

--
It is hard for me to believe that it is the holiday season already.

I wish you all a joyous season and a happy and healthy 2011. This year has just scampered by, hasn't it? It feels like just yesterday that I posted my New Year's post, asking readers what their outlook was for the year.

This blog has been incredibly rewarding, allowing me to post about this vibrant city that I call home. I consider it a gift to share my photos with you all every day.

Thank you readers for tuning in. Taking photos is fun, but it is nothing remotely close to sharing them with an interested audience!

Best, K

Related posts: Have Yourselves a Very Merry Christmas, Merry Christmas, All and Happy Christmas Eve.

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New York Portraits on Etsy

Photo by myself, at home.

I'm happy to announce a new storefront on Etsy!

I've sold several prints to readers but I've always wanted to make prints available to everyone.

This is still a work in progress. Right now there are a handful of black and white prints are listed in two sizes. Color prints on glossy paper will be added very soon. I will keep you posted.

To see the store, click here.

Related posts: Bird's Eye View, near Bryant Park, Under the Spray of Summer, in Park Slope, Brooklyn and Sunday Morning, along the East River.

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Bewildered, in Times Square

Photo by myself in Times Square.

And who wouldn't feel bewildered in Times Square?

The place can be a little overwhelming.

--
For those photography-lovers out there who missed the Henri Cartier-Bresson retrospective this year a MoMA, rest assured. Many images from the exhibit of 300 images, is online at the MoMA website!

I missed the exhibit, too. Fortunately we can all enjoy Cartier-Bresson's striking black and white photos taken during his travels though Asia, Europe and the US. The images are arranged by theme and by chronology, along with brief descriptions.

Sure, looking at images onine from the comfort of your sofa and bag of chips is nothing like looking at a real print in a museum. But don't let that stop you.

Click here for the exhibit on the MoMA website.

Related posts: Tete-a-tete, in Times Square, At a Crossroads, in Times Square and Only in New York.

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On Photography and the Good, the Bad and the Ugly

Photo by myself below ground at 34th Street.

Apologies for the depressing subject matter.

There's a part of me that feels that raw images, especially photographs, are artistic, because they show things people would rather not see. I think must be the younger part of me with such opinions.

Another part of me feels that art should be uplifting. This is definitely the older part of me. This part has seen enough upsetting things. Hm.

--
Speaking of contradictions, I was made to discover a talented photographer today. (Hooray! Celebration! Here's to inspiring images!).

The sad thing is that I found her through the obituaries. The Times reported that Corinne Day passed away this weekend, at the much too young age of 48. She was a fashion photographer whose work launched a 16-year old Kate Moss.

Day's work combines both the frivolous and the gritty in the fashion world. She photographed fanciful spreads for Vogue Magazine but also exhibited photos at the National Portrait Gallery. Her series 'Face of Fashion' shows us nude and scantily clad models often without makeup and often in less than glamorous settings.

For the Times article, click here.
For Ms. Day's online portfolio, click here.

Related posts: Worthy Causes, Could You Keep it Down? and Grace Church in Black and White.

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On Street Photos in Midtown and Online

Photo by myself in Herald Square, at 34th Street and Sixth Avenue.

A young Korean fellow performs soccer tricks for all to see. A large crowd of people looked on, earlier this summer.

--
Mark and I are leaving for Tokyo today. We're all packed and ready!

What will I be doing for the 14 hour trip??

I have a stack of New Yorker magazines to go through, and I have a bunch of podcasts downloaded. One that you may like is called Digital Tips from the Top Floor, a podcast about digital photography.

Chris Marquardt is a talented photographer who travels internationally, teaching workshops on photography in different languages. He is German and speaks perfect English. His candid photos of people are stunning.

Upcoming workshops in San Francisco focus on street photography. You can take his classes in Canada too, or Germany where he teaches in his native language. Workshops focus on everything from food photography to post processing.

Check out Digital Tips, where you can listen to nearly 500 epsiodes. Chris' talks are informal, slightly rambling and entertaining. How amazing is it to get advice from a seasoned photographer, free of charge?

Related posts: Parading Down Fifth Avenue, Midtown, Avalanche of People, Midtown and On the Job.

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On What's Down Under the Manhattan Bridge, and Down Under

Photo by myself, around Water and Jay Streets, in DUMBO, Brooklyn.
At the end of a cobblestone street, beyond the Manhattan Bridge, is the Brooklyn Bridge.

Named DUMBO for 'Down Under the Manhattan Bridge Overpass', this neighborhood has its own vibe. There are many converted warehouses now used for offices and apartments.

--
Tuesday night, I was absolutely blown away by a short film called Salt which aired on PBS, a major public TV station here in the US. It was part of POV (Point of View), an award-winning, independent documentary film series.

Murray Fredricks, a noted Australian photographer, filmed his trips to the salt flats in his country. The landscape is stunningly stark. The isolation is incomprehensible.

Fredricks shacks up in a modest tent, in the midst of what looks like a moonscape. He reflects on stuff. He experiences. He is windswept. And his images are incredible.

Using a large format (film) camera, Fredericks photographed the night sky. Since it was film, of course, he had no idea whether any of his results were good until he returned to civilization.

You may have missed the TV airing, but you can still watch Salt online until September 17. Unfortunately the streaming version is only available in the US. For those not in this country, check out Frederick's still images, here.

For the POV website, listing other interesting documentaries, click here.

Related posts: On Display at Atlantic/Pacific, Brooklyn, Backstage in the West Village and Street Photography on Display, Below Ground.

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Shooting in Tribeca and the Times

Photo by myself at Greenwich and Laight Streets, in Tribeca.

A photoshoot for the clothing store J. Crew took place on a quiet street in Tribeca, this weekend.

A male model was wearing a tradmark pair of jeans and a maroon t-shirt. A small group of photo assistants stood off to the side.

Tribeca is known for having many renovated warehouses and cobblestone streets, which provide a rustic urban backdrop.

--
New York wasn't always so photogenic or safe.

Posted recently on the Times website, are some striking photos from the 80's. Angel Franco, a freelance photographer, tagged along with the NYPD over a 5-year period.

The US was doing well during that time, but New York was still struggling with a great deal of crime. Franco's photos are spontaneous but incredibly stark. You get the feeling that just anything was about to happen.

Many of his photos went unpublished due to context - according to Franco, many Americans in the 80's couldn't believe that bad things were going on. (Geez!)

Anyway, if you have a spare moment, check out the incredible b/w photos here.

Related posts: On Display at Atlantic/Pacific, Brooklyn, Backstage in the West Village and Street Photography on Display, Below Ground.

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