Getting Ready for New York City
Assuming my health cooperates, we will be visiting family in New York soon. As always, I plan to shoot a few photos while we are out and about in New York City and on Long Island.
I really like engineering and architecture. Actually, I love studying both. I love creative and artistically beautiful engineering and architecture. I love it in homes... I love it in urban development... I love it in bridges... I love it in skyscapers as well as smaller commercial buildings.
Conversely, I absolutely abhor plain, box-like structures with no architectural details. Cookie-cutter, plain, box-like homes bother me. The same holds true for city buildings. Also, the design must fit into the landscape, city-scape, and community yet still be creative and artistic.
Needless to say, I am more drawn to the 100-200 year old structures in any city. Far too many newer buildings just don't "fit" into their surroundings. Far too many newer buildings lack artistic beauty. And, in my book, weirdness does not equate to artistic beauty.
Whenever I am thinking about a photo shoot, even if it is simply sightseeing, I like to review photos I have previously shot as well as photos others have shot. Basically, I like to research. I like to prepare. I like to figure out the best time to photograph a particular sight... finding the best light, best shadows, a new interesting angle... Truth be told, I research before doing anything including photography.
So, while I am up and awake in the middle of the night tonight, let me share some of my old photos I have shot while in New York on previous trips....
This first shot is from the Museum of Natural History... elephants stampeding through the Africa Hall... This is a very dark hall which makes it difficult to focus without getting motion blurring. In this case, I made the motion blurring work...
Below is a shot of the lobby in the Museum of Natural History... nice perspective...
Below is a shot from Central Park in autumn... I've always liked this shot...
I wonder how many people would guess what this next photo is.... anyone? It is a cross on the top of one of the spires of St Patrick's Cathedral...
I am sure I don't need to describe this next shot... Sheila and Adam in Times Square...
(Edit: I know everyone seems to love Times Square but, in my opinion, Times Square is nothing but advertising overload. There is nothing artistic about it... there is nothing architecturally beautiful... there is nothing beautiful... and the bright red, illuminated-from-below stair-step observation bleachers are tacky, hideous and make color balancing photos next to impossible.. one would think the purpose of this structure was to help people shoot photos of Times Square but the red glowing light makes it impossible to get decent photos. If they eliminated the bright red glow, it would be perfect. If you are in advertising, Times Square might be a place to see so you can learn how NOT to advertise... for all others, visit it once to see what I'm talking about... other than that, there is no reason to visit this... hmmm... place.)
(Edit: I know everyone seems to love Times Square but, in my opinion, Times Square is nothing but advertising overload. There is nothing artistic about it... there is nothing architecturally beautiful... there is nothing beautiful... and the bright red, illuminated-from-below stair-step observation bleachers are tacky, hideous and make color balancing photos next to impossible.. one would think the purpose of this structure was to help people shoot photos of Times Square but the red glowing light makes it impossible to get decent photos. If they eliminated the bright red glow, it would be perfect. If you are in advertising, Times Square might be a place to see so you can learn how NOT to advertise... for all others, visit it once to see what I'm talking about... other than that, there is no reason to visit this... hmmm... place.)
Below is The San Remo on Central Park West.... I shot this from Central Park...
A painting I did of The Beresford on Central Park West... as viewed from Central Park...
I really like engineering and architecture. Actually, I love studying both. I love creative and artistically beautiful engineering and architecture. I love it in homes... I love it in urban development... I love it in bridges... I love it in skyscapers as well as smaller commercial buildings.
Conversely, I absolutely abhor plain, box-like structures with no architectural details. Cookie-cutter, plain, box-like homes bother me. The same holds true for city buildings. Also, the design must fit into the landscape, city-scape, and community yet still be creative and artistic.
Needless to say, I am more drawn to the 100-200 year old structures in any city. Far too many newer buildings just don't "fit" into their surroundings. Far too many newer buildings lack artistic beauty. And, in my book, weirdness does not equate to artistic beauty.
On our next visit to New York, I hope to be able to show Adam and Sheila some more sights. And, of course, I will have a camera or two in tow so I can shoot hundreds of photos!
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