Tag Archives: new york

Photographs: Architecture, Photographs: New York City, Photographs: Urban/Street

Passing Car

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Passing Car
A car speeds past, Manhattan

Passing Car. New York City. July 2, 2017. © Copyright 2017 G Dan Mitchell – all rights reserved.

A car speeds past, Manhattan

There is perhaps not a whole lot to write about this photograph, but here goes. My initial thought was of a photograph that included only buildings and street, with the perspective lines heading away to converge at the lighter towers in the distant center of the frame. I hoped that the pedestrians might be in the center or near two it as they passed by in the cross walk.

But photographing such a scene in any city, and perhaps especially in Manhattan, is a tricky thing. Obvious, I had to be in the street myself, which meant that I was crossing on the green light and pausing just long enough to make a photograph or two. This meant that I did not have much time to wait for the perfect conjunction of moving elements and… there was this car.

G Dan Mitchell is a California photographer and visual opportunist. His book, “California’s Fall Color: A Photographer’s Guide to Autumn in the Sierra” is available from Heyday Books and Amazon.
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Photographs: New York City, Photographs: People, Photographs: Urban/Street

Smile

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Smile
Central Park skaters, Manhattan

Smile. Central Park, New York City. July 2, 2017. © Copyright 2017 G Dan Mitchell – all rights reserved.

Central Park skaters, Manhattan

From what I’ve seen, New York’s Central Park in the summer is a hotbed for just about every kind of activity you can imagine. (New Yorkers are welcome to roll their eyes and say, “Duh. Californians!”) Folks are doing the loop on bicycles, there are picnickers all over the place, tourists wander about, you can stop and eat at food carts or restaurants, folks are working on their tans, and more.

I’m not usually a fan of noisy music in public places, so when we heard loud (disco!) music coming from nearby I was at first mildly annoyed. Then I decided to go take a look. What I found was wonderful: a sort of spontaneous, free-flowing, street dance on skates with all kinds of folks, from the skaters to those of us observing, just having a great time.

G Dan Mitchell is a California photographer and visual opportunist. His book, “California’s Fall Color: A Photographer’s Guide to Autumn in the Sierra” is available from Heyday Books and Amazon.
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All media © Copyright G Dan Mitchell and others as indicated. Any use requires advance permission from G Dan Mitchell.

Photographs: Architecture, Photographs: New York City, Photographs: Structures and Objects, Photographs: Urban/Street

Urban Geometry

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Urban Geometry
A study in shapes, colors, and textures, Manhattan

Urban Geometry. New York City. July 2, 2017. © Copyright 2017 G Dan Mitchell – all rights reserved.

A study in shapes, colors, and textures, Manhattan

When I photograph urban/street subjects I am usually looking for quite a range of different things: individual people doing interesting things, masses of people, odd little vignettes, color and line, and sometimes the urban landscape itself. It is, I think, possible to regard the city as a kind of landscape, and even to photograph it in ways that are similar but perhaps not identical to how we photograph the so-called natural landscape.

On this day I was on foot (hiking?) through Manhattan, on my way to meet people, when we passed through the area around Washington Square. The stark and angular architecture of this bit of a building caught my attention, and some of the colors and textures brought to mind a sort of idealized representation of the red rock canyons of the Southwest.

G Dan Mitchell is a California photographer and visual opportunist. His book, “California’s Fall Color: A Photographer’s Guide to Autumn in the Sierra” is available from Heyday Books and Amazon.
Blog | About | Flickr | Twitter | Facebook | Google+ | LinkedIn | Email

All media © Copyright G Dan Mitchell and others as indicated. Any use requires advance permission from G Dan Mitchell.

Photographs: Architecture, Photographs: New York City, Photographs: Urban/Street

Calder and Lunch, A Juxtaposition

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Calder and Lunch, A Juxtaposition
A surprising juxtaposition between the “Calder: Hypermobility” exhibit and a nearby restaurant at the Whitney Museum, New York

Calder and Lunch, A Juxtaposition. New York City. July 3, 2017. © Copyright 2017 G Dan Mitchell – all rights reserved.

A surprising juxtaposition between the “Calder: Hypermobility” exhibit and a nearby restaurant at the Whitney Museum, New York

During an early July visit to New York City we found time to wander over to the new Whitney Museum to view several exhibits, including a special exhibit of Alexander Calder’s mobile and similar pieces. Not only did it include a large number of his pieces, all assembled in one room, but the museum arranged to put many of the pieces in motion, as they were intended to be experienced. Some of the mobiles depend upon shifting air currents, but several of the other pieces are actually motorized. The exhibit was fascinating in many ways — the setting-in-motion was part of it, but also the presentation of so many of these pieces one space was unusual.

Something else was unusual about the exhibit, and I found it a bit jarring. The Calder exhibit was in a large space on the top gallery floor. Many of the Calder pieces are enhanced by lighting that reveals the changing shapes of their shadows as they move, and monochromatic background walls help isolate the objects so that their forms are more clearly visible. But one wall turned out to hold a huge opening to an adjacent eating area, with bustling waiters, loudly conversing guests, the clanking of dishes and silver way, and big windows open to the brilliant glare of Manhattan. The juxtaposition was so odd and jarring that I just had to make a photograph.

G Dan Mitchell is a California photographer and visual opportunist. His book, “California’s Fall Color: A Photographer’s Guide to Autumn in the Sierra” is available from Heyday Books and Amazon.
Blog | About | Flickr | Twitter | Facebook | Google+ | LinkedIn | Email

All media © Copyright G Dan Mitchell and others as indicated. Any use requires advance permission from G Dan Mitchell.