Tag Archives: urban

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

Skylights, Manhattan

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Skylights, Manhattan
Skylights glow in the gathering darkness on a Manhattan rooftop.

Skylights, Manhattan. © Copyright 2021 G Dan Mitchell – all rights reserved.

Skylights glow in the gathering darkness on a Manhattan rooftop.

Given the right camera position and the right light, small and easily overlooked bits and pieces of the urban architectural environment turn out to be interesting. I’ve long noted that in dense, urban environments the exteriors of living spaces are often far from attractive — at best they are utilitarian and at worst they can be downright ugly. My theory is that people, for the most part, do not regard the exteriors of their spaces the way we might in space-filled suburban environments. They don’t use these exteriors to present themselves to the world —no gardens, no fancy paint, no cute signs… just the functional and often well-worn necessities.

I don’t know for sure what is beneath these skylights, but I suspect that it could be someone’s living or work space. I’d also bet that whoever occupies the space has little or no idea of what these skylight look like from the outside, and they may not even think about the potential that people like me walk by every day and may look at them. From inside, the skylights are a way to let light in. But at night, to the passer-by, they become a source of light themselves as they radiate outwards.

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: Night, Photographs: Urban/Street

Windows and Shadows

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Windows and Shadows
The shadows of passing figures on a pair of windows and a wall in Manhattan.

Windows and Shadows. © Copyright 2021 G Dan Mitchell – all rights reserved.

The shadows of passing figures on a pair of windows and a wall in Manhattan.

This somewhat mysterious-looking photograph comes from a few years back on a visit to New York City. It was late in the day, and we found ourselves wandering along the Highline Park, the elevated park along a portion of the west side of Manhattan. The park wanders past all sorts of Manhattan features — apartments, hotels, businesses, parking, streets, and more. In such places unusual and fleeting lighting effects can occur, some of them as magical as the light I look for in the natural world. Among them is the potential for light to reflect back and forth among multiple reflective surfaces. This often softens the light and directs it into places where you might not expect it. That was the case here, as the light worked its way down into this urban canyon in the same way it does in the red rock canyons of the Southwest.

This photograph also exemplifies why I like to work with small and light cameras in urban environments — rather than using the larger, tripod-mounted gear I often use in the natural landscape. Here things happen quickly, often with little warning, and quickly disappear. Being able to respond quickly is critical, and this ability to work quickly and spontaneously often turns out to be far more important than having larger and objectively “better” gear. The ghostly shadows of the passing figures were gone within seconds.

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: Architecture, Photographs: Structures and Objects, Photographs: Urban/Street

RK AVENUE BALLRO

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RK AVENUE BALLRO
The front entrance to an urban dance studio, San Jose.

RK AVENUE BALLRO. © Copyright 2021 G Dan Mitchell – all rights reserved.

The front entrance to an urban dance studio, San Jose.

If you have been following along here you probably can guess that this is another photograph from my (almost) daily long walks in the greater neighborhood, an activity that has become a ritual during the time since March 2020… for reasons that you can also probably guess. These walks range from the short (“Gotta at least put in a half hour!”) to nearly ten miles, virtually always through the urban wilderness of neighborhoods, industrial areas, shopping centers, and similar.

I always carry a camera, though on most walks it stays in the bag. But every so often something catches my attention and out comes the camera. Quite often the subject is something that I’ve passed by many times but only really notice for the first time on one of the walks — a common experience, by the way. The elements that make this building what it is comprise quite a collection — the heavy framing of the entry way, the rather striking and perhaps unusual color choices, and more… some of which lies outside the frame in this 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, Amazon, and directly from G Dan Mitchell.

Blog | About | 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: Urban/Street

Hats and Cashmere Scarves

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Hats and Cashmere Scarves
A sidewalk vending cart on a winter day in Manhattan.

Hats and Cashmere Scarves. © Copyright 2021 G Dan Mitchell – all rights reserved.

A sidewalk vending cart on a winter day in Manhattan.

This photograph comes from our last big travel adventure in the Before Times, a week in New York City — mostly Manhattan, but also the Bronx and probably a bit of Brooklyn as well. New Yorkers will either laugh or think we’re nuts — or perhaps both — but somehow the two times of year that we almost invariably visit are in August and late December. Yeah, I know. Not ideal. But by now this has almost become a tradition. Even now — it is August! — I’m thinking about New York again.

This trip, as you may guess from the items being offered for sale here, was the December visit. Street vendors are common all over the world, especially in urban areas, but those in Manhattan seem to have their own special culture. I’m continually amazed at how the products vary by season and even — almost instantly — by weather. Rain on the way? Everyone is suddenly offering umbrellas. Snow and cold? Hats and cashmere scarves.

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 | Flickr | Facebook | Email

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

Scroll down to leave a comment or question.

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