The image above was taken in the late afternoon in Xi'an, China. The motion blur was the result of a 4 second exposure and a f/22 apature. I did not use a filter.
Chinese Flag on Wall Street
The flag of the People's Republic of China flies next to the American flag on May 22, 2010.
Almost makes you wonder if this is a permanent change.
Photo Essay: 25 Images from China (中国的照片)
The photos here are from a 10 day trip to Shanghai, Xi'an, and Beijing. The photos capture both some of the country's incredibly beautiful sights along with some scenes of city life.
A full screen slideshow is available here. Otherwise, read on to view the full collection of images.
Running in the Forbidden City
A girl runs in the Forbidden City in Beijing on May 16, 2010.
For more recent pictures from China, see this Collection on flickr.
The Little Mermaid Visits Shanghai
Visiting from Denmark, Copenhagen's statute of the Little Mermaid greets visitors to Denmark's pavillion at the 2010 World Expo in Shanghai, China on May 10, 2010.
For more Expo pictures, please see this set on flickr or check out the slideshow below.Fruit Stand at Night
A fruit stand is open late on Jiaozhou Rd in the Jing'an District in Shanghai, China on May 12, 2010.
More photos from China are coming soon. For mostly older China pictures, please see my China Collection on flickr.
Old Meets New: Philadelphia Edition
Here's 30th Street Station in Philadelphia with the Cira Centre in the background. I like the lines the buildings offer and the contrast between the new and the old. Since the weather was beautiful and sunny in Philly today, the light was somewhat harsh.
I have more photos of architectural shots in this set on flickr.
On the Stairs
Two men are relaxing on the stairs of the James Farley Post House across from Madison Square Garden on a warm Sunday. I found that black and white suited the scene well. There wasn't much color in the composition to begin with and I like how the two men blend in with the pillars. Still, the 1.2 aperture makes the men stand out just enough.
Brooklyn Bridge at Night
The Broolyn Bridge is lit up in New York City on April 30, 2010.
The Brooklyn Bridge is no doubt among the most photographed sights in New York City. I like it as a symbol of New York. Unlike the Empire State building or the Chrysler building or even panaroma views of the Manhattan skyline, the Brooklyn Bridge seems more inclusive as a symbol of the entire city. Awesome and majestic as it is, it's just not as glamorous as some of the other icons of the city. And it makes clear that the city is not just Manhattan.
Photographing the bridge somehow never gets old. Above is my most recent shot of the bridge. Read on to view an old favorite.
This week in Protests
Protesters join the March on Wall Street Rally in New York City on April 29, 2010.
I photographed a few more rallies this week. On Thursday I covered the "March on Wall Street" for Talking Points Memo. Their slideshow from the event is here. Organized by the the AFL-CIO, moveon.org and others, thousands of workers and labor activists marched from City Hall down Broadway to protest the banks and the financial sector. I felt I was able to cover the energy of the rally fairly well. You can see all my photos from the rally in this set on flickr.
Yesterday I dropped by two more rallies. One was an immigration reform rally downtown organized by the Alliance for Labor & Immigrant Rights and Jobs for All and the other a May Day rally in Union Square that protested a hotchpotch of issues. Arizona's controversial immigration law was a unifying theme in both rallies (see my earlier post on a new documentary on racial profiling). Slideshows of all three rallies are included below.
March on Wall Street (Flickr set):
Immigration Reform Rally (Flickr set):
May Day Rally in Union Square (Flickr set):
I photographed a few more rallies this week. On Thursday I covered the "March on Wall Street" for Talking Points Memo. Their slideshow from the event is here. Organized by the the AFL-CIO, moveon.org and others, thousands of workers and labor activists marched from City Hall down Broadway to protest the banks and the financial sector. I felt I was able to cover the energy of the rally fairly well. You can see all my photos from the rally in this set on flickr.
Yesterday I dropped by two more rallies. One was an immigration reform rally downtown organized by the Alliance for Labor & Immigrant Rights and Jobs for All and the other a May Day rally in Union Square that protested a hotchpotch of issues. Arizona's controversial immigration law was a unifying theme in both rallies (see my earlier post on a new documentary on racial profiling). Slideshows of all three rallies are included below.
March on Wall Street (Flickr set):
Immigration Reform Rally (Flickr set):
May Day Rally in Union Square (Flickr set):
Night Workers
Two people are at work on the Corner of Varick and West Houston Streets in New York City on April 29, 2010.
City workers out at night always bring some interesting lights along. Usually the lights, people, and equipment combine to form a fascinating golden, red glow.
Americans on Hold
Smita Narula participates in a panel discussion following a screening of Americans on Hold at New York University School of Law on April 28, 2010. You can read more about the project behind the film and watch previews here: www.americansonhold.org.
The short film examines the use of racial profiling in immigration matters through two personal accounts. Given the current debate on immigration reform and Arizona's recent controversial immigration bill, the film couldn't be more timely.
The short film examines the use of racial profiling in immigration matters through two personal accounts. Given the current debate on immigration reform and Arizona's recent controversial immigration bill, the film couldn't be more timely.
Owl City at Terminal 5
Adam Young's Owl City put on an energetic performance to a sold-out crowd at Terminal 5 this weekend. While Young's electropop borders on the schmaltzy, the harmless teenybopper tunes made for a pretty enjoyable show as did his bouncy, unrehearsed stage presence. Full disclosure: yes, I confess that I like Fireflies. Paper Route and LIGHTS warmed up the crowds with solid sets of their own.
I covered the show for Time Out (see this post on their site). Shooting the concert was a pleasant experience since the crowd was separated from the stage by a comfortably-sized pit. I shot the show using mostly Canon's 85mm 1.2 and 24-70mm 2.8 lenses. The lighting was tricky and no flash was allowed, but overall I was happy with what I got.
Read on for more pictures. The full set of pictures from the shows are available in my concert collection on flickr.
LIGHTS (full flickr set):
Paper Route (full flickr set):
Covering a Protest
I happened upon a protest against Obama's Middle East policy in midtown on Sunday, April 25, 2010. The protest was organized by the Jewish Action Alliance but attracted a variety groups, including Hindus, tea-partiers, and Christian evangelicals.
I was struck by the extremism of many of the signs and decided to try to document the rally. It turned out to be an interesting challenge in photojournalism, and I would be interested in some feedback. For the most part I tried to take photos while the protesters were not paying attention to me but when that was too difficult, I would ask people to pose.
I have included a few more shots below along with a slideshow of the protest. For all the photos from the event see this set on flickr.
I was struck by the extremism of many of the signs and decided to try to document the rally. It turned out to be an interesting challenge in photojournalism, and I would be interested in some feedback. For the most part I tried to take photos while the protesters were not paying attention to me but when that was too difficult, I would ask people to pose.
I have included a few more shots below along with a slideshow of the protest. For all the photos from the event see this set on flickr.
Here's the slideshow:
There are Two Types of Subway Riders. . .
A man waits for the subway at the Wall Street subway station in New York City on April 25, 2010.
I like the way this shot came out. Especially since it tells the tale of two different types of subway riders. The main subject is looking at the man in the distance, who in turn is looking for the train. Unlike the other man, the main subject is leisurely waiting for the subway, reading his book, and resting his back against a pillar. "The train will come when it comes", you can sense him thinking as he observes someone with the opposite attitude. Meanwhile, the man in the distance is hoping that his efforts will earn him a few seconds advance notice of the arrival of the train. I'd much rather be the main subject in this photo (although, I am sad to admit that I too peek down the tracks from time to time).
Jump
A man jumps in front of the New York Stock Exchange on April 23, 2010.
Shooting in front of the Stock Exchange on Wall Street yields interesting photos. Generally it pays off to wait around, which can be a trying experience depending on your enthusiasm for tourists and bankers.
Shooting in front of the Stock Exchange on Wall Street yields interesting photos. Generally it pays off to wait around, which can be a trying experience depending on your enthusiasm for tourists and bankers.
Almost Out of Bloom
Tulips still decorate Zuccotti Park near Broadway and Cedar Street in New York City on April 22, 2010. Most of them are now out of bloom.
Casino Jack Screening in New York City
Harvard Law Professor Lawrence Lessig, Director Alex Gibney, Rock the Vote's Heather Smith, and Village Voice Reporter Tom Robbins participate in a live panel following a screening of Casino Jack in New York City on April 21, 2010.
I covered the event for Talking Points Memo. The lighting and the arrangement of seats in the theater (the SVA Theater in Chelsea) made it difficult to get interesting shots. As for the screening itself, the documentary not only tells the fascinating story of a disgraced lobbyist but also gives a telling and disturbing insight into just how big a role money plays in American politics. The movies will be in theaters next month. In the meantime, head over and read Justin Elliott's review for TPMmuckraker.
Play
1/200s, f/1.2, ISO 800, 85mm
I have been returning to the subway for my latest shots. I came across a Walker Evans book the other day and wondered what I might add to the long tradition of metro photography. Evans took a series of subway portraits in the late 1930s. I was struck by how similar the facial expressions of today's subway riders look compared to the ones I saw in the Evans book. However, the clothes and accessories and the diversity of the straphangers have changed profoundly in the 70 years since Evans took his photos. If there's one place where New Yorkers from all walks of life come together today, it's the subway. My goal is to portray the 2010 New York subway through timely and revealing images.
I have included a slideshow of some of my recent subway shots below.
