Tag Archives: new york

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

On Patrol

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On Patrol
A serious-looking New York policeman standing against a sunlit wall on Fifth Avenue.

On Patrol. © Copyright 2022 G Dan Mitchell.

A serious-looking New York policeman* standing against a sunlit wall on Fifth Avenue.

By now, I almost feel like I know this officer — since I have shared two previous photographs of the guy. The fact that I have so many is indicative of his, uh, relatively low level of active patrol efforts. To be fair, it was a nice sunny spot, and if I were him I probably would have lingered there, too. Plus it was a great spot from which to watch the Columbus Day parade passing by.

Although he didn’t move more than a couple of feet while I watched him, he did engage with his surroundings. I watched a back-slapping exchange with a passerby that he seemed to know. He was observing, and at one point he was aware that I was photographing. His demeanor has changed a bit in this photograph. In the earlier version his legs are crossed and he’s actually leaning on the wall. Perhaps I made this after he saw me? Now he stands erect, looking intently into the street scene.

*Update: I originally referred to the subject as a “NYPD” officer. Several people who are more familiar with that subject than I suggest that he may actually be a private security guard. I’ve altered the description here to account for that.

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, Amazon, and directly from G Dan Mitchell.

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

Woman in Central Park

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Woman in Central Park
A women stands on a brick square in Central Park.

Woman in Central Park. © Copyright 2022 G Dan Mitchell.

A women stands on a brick square in Central Park.

As we walked through a busy section of Central Park on an October morning, I saw this woman walk through this square alone, pause as if taking stock of the surroundings, then eventually move on. Originally, the bright pink color of her outfit caught my attention, along with something about her demeanor, but I sacrificed that color for this monochrome rendering of the scene — since I like the way that a black and white image translates that color to almost white.

This is one of those photographs that asks more questions than it answers. I cannot tell you “what it means,” or even quite explain why it works for me. I think that there is something a bit noble about her, something about her standing apart from the rest of the crown in the park, but also something more than a bit uncomfortable about the image. and her place in it.

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, Amazon, and directly from G Dan Mitchell.

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Links to Articles, Sales and Licensing, my Sierra Nevada Fall Color book, Contact Information.

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

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

Workers at a Manhattan Parade

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Workers at a Manhattan Parade
A group of orange-clad workers along the route of New York’s 2022 “Columbus Day” parade.

Workers at a Manhattan Parade. © Copyright 2022 G Dan Mitchell.

A group of orange-clad workers along the route of New York’s 2022 “Columbus Day” parade.

The crowd at this “Columbus Day” parade in Manhattan included just about every sort of person you can imagine – every walk of life, every ethnicity, every social class that you might encounter in Manhattan. Since this parade, also referred to as the “Italian Heritage” parade is a focal point for the Italian community, some in the crowd reminded me of people I’ve seem in Italy. (Here I’m thinking particularly of one fellow wearing some sort of ceremonial sash and hat — perhaps there will be a picture later.) Many were just there for the parade. Others, like me, were from out of town and happened to run into the event on a holiday morning.

This quartet fits somewhere into that wildly diverse crowd. They are what we might have called “hard hats,” with all that implied, in an earlier political era — except that now they comprise a more culturally diverse group. They were engaged in animated conversation when I passed and grabbed a photograph, attracted by the personalities and by the colorful attire.

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, Amazon, and directly from G Dan Mitchell.

Blog | About | Twitter | Flickr | Facebook | Email

Links to Articles, Sales and Licensing, my Sierra Nevada Fall Color book, Contact Information.

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

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

Two Men, Fifth Avenue

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Two Men, Fifth Avenue
A pedestrian walks past a police officer standing in the sun.

Two Men, Fifth Avenue. © Copyright 2022 G Dan Mitchell.

A pedestrian walks past a police officer standing in the sun.

If you have been following along recently, you may recognize the return of a familiar character in this photograph, the police officer leaning against the sunny wall. This fellow was fascinating, though I don’t know quite what to make of what I observed. Most of the officers working this Manhattan parade were close to the crowd, moving about, and engaged. But this fellow did not move from this sunny spot while I was there. Several passers-by stopped and chatted him up, and it almost seemed like he knew them. But aside from that he mostly just leaned against the sun-warmed wall.

The other fellow was approaching from the right, and part of what originally caught my attention was the color of his jacket — which you’ll have to guess at, since it is now a monochrome photograph! Initially I thought that a photograph of just him would have been my preference, but I ended up liking the juxtaposition of his form with that of the cop. Beyond that you could probably read a whole range of stories and meanings into this one. Or not.

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, Amazon, and directly from G Dan Mitchell.

Blog | About | Twitter | Flickr | Facebook | Email

Links to Articles, Sales and Licensing, my Sierra Nevada Fall Color book, Contact Information.

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