Tag Archives: whitney

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

Selfie, Reflection

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Selfie, Reflection
Reflection of a couple posing for a selfie, Whitney Museum, Manhattan

Selfie, Reflection. New York City. July 3, 2017. © Copyright 2017 G Dan Mitchell – all rights reserved.

Reflection of a couple posing for a selfie, Whitney Museum, Manhattan

I made this photograph when we visited the Whitney Museum on a trip to New York City earlier this year — the new version of the Whitney located in Chelsea near the end of The High Line Park. We were there at least partly to see the Calder exhibit, but also because we like the Whitney itself. I not only like the place (and this is true of other museums I visit) for the work that is exhibited, but also for the photographic opportunities. There are lots of people to see, and this museum incorporates all kinds of other interesting visual opportunities: the architecture of the building, the outside terraces, the views of the surrounding areas.

I made this photograph on one of the outdoor terraces on an upper floor. The terraces provide open views of Manhattan, and they house large works that display well in outdoor spaces. There are always lots of people passing through these spaces, and this couple stopped to make a selfie photo against one of the sculptures, inadvertently positioning themselves where their reflection also incorporated a slightly distorted view of the Manhattan surroundings. The subject of “selfies” is a big one on its own, and I won’t try to take that on in its entirely here. However, people making these photographs of themselves sometimes seem to let down their guard as they temporarily become almost oblivious to their surroundings and they often assemble into interesting group poses.

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

Window And Shadows

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Window And Shadows
Afternoon light forms shadows behind a window at the Whitney Museum, New York City

Window And Shadows. New York City. July 3, 2017. © Copyright 2017 G Dan Mitchell – all rights reserved.

Afternoon light forms shadows behind a window at the Whitney Museum, New York City

This photograph was made near a window on one of the upper floors of the New Whitney Museum in Manhattan. At the west end of the upper floors, near the end of the main corridors outside the gallery, there are small windows that overlook the Hudson River and New Jersey in the distance. At some point on every visit to the Whitney I find myself standing next to one of these windows overlooking this view and trying to make photographs. (I have my rituals — I also go out onto the various terraces and platforms outside the east side of the building and photograph Manhattan and people.)

I don’t think it is a secret that I’m attracted to patterns and shapes, and the angles of shadows cast by light coming through windows often interests me. I only partly see a subject like this as what it objectively is — I’m more likely to think of it simply as light and shadow and texture and shape.

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: 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.

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

Columns, Whitney Museum

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Columns, Whitney Musuem
Repeating forms of cylindrical columns

Columns, Whitney Museum. Manhattan, New York City. December 27, 2015. © Copyright 20165G Dan Mitchell – all rights reserved.

Repeating forms of cylindrical columns

I admit it — photographing at the new Whitney Museum in Manhattan almost felt like play. The building is interesting in and off itself, but especially interesting on the high and open outdoor terraces that thrust out from the building toward the city. Although there are no people in this photograph — in fact, I had to take some care to ensure that was the case — the location was also a prime place to photograph people.

These columns occupy a corner, up against a wall, on one of the upper floor outdoor terraces. Their positions allow light to shine on them from multiple directions and on this very cloudy day the light was soft and luminous. Although this is the sort of thing that I might prefer to shoot from the tripod, I was working in street photographer mode and therefore had to shoot handheld, carefully lining up the verticals, trying to obscure a few places where the background shone through between the columns, and then waiting for people to pass by and not be in the shot.

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.