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2013-05-23 01:27:31 (13 comments, 2 reshares, 32 +1s)

Let's have a discussion about travel and travel opportunities for people looking to immerse themselves in enriching opportunities

(You know you want to click on "Read More"! Do it!)

Does anyone here have any information regarding +WWOOF ing?  Or, does anyone here have any information regarding travel opportunities that are in a similar vein to what Wwoof accomplishes? 

Why I am asking:  I would like to immerse myself in a travel experience towards the end of this year (preferably autumn or later) that allow me to not only experience life elsewhere but also give back in some way with my time, labor, photography, and/or writing.

I have no experience doing this and looking around at all of the places that Wwoof currently exists around the globe is 2 parts exciting but 1 part overwhelming. Where to even start? Additionally, maybe thereare... more »

2013-05-18 01:01:03 (51 comments, 37 reshares, 672 +1s)

"New York City..."

When the day stretches out

leaving a trail of sighs

in its wake,

the sky

and the infinite

slowly implode

folding themselves into one another

until all that is left

is a never-ending horizon

reaching out towards

the rest of forever.

—-


This is a view of Central Park and the skyscrapers of midtown Manhattan as seen from above. It was taken with the Sony A77 from the top of the Empire State Building on an impossibly perfect morning. Upper Manhattan sits in the distance with the Chrysler Building and Queens to the right. The trees of Bryant Park are peeking out in the bottom-left part of this image.

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You can view this post with all relevant links over at my photography blog here:
more »

2013-05-16 13:10:39 (85 comments, 18 reshares, 211 +1s)

"Light..."

Figured I would test out the new Google+ layout by posting a photo. This is a photo that I recently uploaded to my growing stock collection on +Stocksy United  (yes, I do take photos of things other than New York City cityscapes, streets, and architecture sometimes! ;) ). My page on Stocksy can be found here:

http://www.stocksy.com/NewYorkCity

The photos in the collection linked above are available for commercial (and personal) licensing. I am quite fond of Stocky's philosophies regarding their treatment of artists as well as their impeccable curation and treatment of clients.  I will be sharing more about Stocksy and my collection there in future posts.

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Some UX ramblings regarding the latest update and sharing photos:

Here is how I posted this photo to my New York City photography album. I clicked on&... more »

2013-05-15 18:48:55 (14 comments, 1 reshares, 49 +1s)

Do you have any idea how ridiculously excited I am regarding the upcoming #IO13 announcement regarding hashtags? Basically, hashtags will be automatically added to posts based on the content of the post (I have been tirelessly adding hashtags to all of my posts since the beginning and it has not been a fun task!). As someone who enjoys creating content based around my photography, this makes my heart swell.

Yess...

(also, the new layout looks awesome - can't wait to try it out)

Edit - Just got the new layout. For the first time in ages, I can say that the user experience here on Google+ is one of the better ones in terms of the current crop of social networks/social platforms. I have been rather lukewarm regarding it previously so it's huge for me to even think this way.

2013-05-10 12:55:05 (23 comments, 15 reshares, 329 +1s)

"Bushwick..."

The sky wavered in mood earlier today displaying an angsty mix of rage-puffed storm clouds and baby blues streaked by sunlight. It was the perfect backdrop for Bushwick’s incredible array of street art murals that pepper the industrial urban landscape.

I have been spending an inordinate amount of time in Brooklyn lately. My other half was born in Brooklyn (I like to refer to it as his “hatch-zone”) and is a great walking-off-steam companion. And so we keep ending up in interesting places on these long walks.

Bushwick was never really a friendly place when I was younger (this is a severe understatement). It’s fascinating to see the stage of evolution it seems to be in currently. The factories are all still there but there is also an amazing amount of art that seems to be thriving on the walls of Bushwick. Growing up in Queens ogling 5 Pointz, alarge i... more »

2013-05-09 01:01:48 (22 comments, 24 reshares, 401 +1s)

"Moments..."

Moments are vessels that contain: sparks, magic, effervescent happiness, lingering sadness, red-tinged anger, bittersweet joy all waiting to explode if and when that point in time is visited again.

There are moments that exist somewhere between the excited beat of the heart and a welled-up tear in the eye. They are the chills that run up the back of the neck and the small smile that can’t be contained when their memory is nudged by a sound, sight, scent, touch.

It’s the way the light was shining through the bridge as the boat pulled away under a sky blue with hope as the sun set and the lump in the throat subsided momentarily. It’s the way the water looked as it rocked the boat gently like a lullaby as it drifted away from the sunlight that poured its light onto the surface of the water.

And it’s the way everything seemed pointlessin comp... more »

2013-05-15 19:50:21 (17 comments, 2 reshares, 183 +1s)

"Intrepid..."

Had the best time this evening at the Choice Eats Street foodie event. It was held at the  +Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum . I haven't been to the Intrepid since I was five years old so it was super cool to see the improvements that have been made over the years as well as all of the cool things they have added.

I ended up walking up Tower 1 onto the carrier at some point and starting talking with one of the most amazing guides who worked there named Annette who proceeded to take me on a personalized tour of the aircraft carrier. She was super awesome. I love asking tons of questions and she loved telling the stories of all of the aircrafts as well as talking about the carrier's parts (got to see the anchor room!). It was a one-of-a-kind experience since it was night-time and the carrier was nearly empty aside from us and a few othere... more »

2013-05-06 00:46:53 (50 comments, 21 reshares, 418 +1s)

"Urban fairy tales..."

Unexpected magic is some of the best kind of magic especially when it is found in the most unlikely of places.

—-

Spent an afternoon yesterday walking around Bay Ridge, Brooklyn while the temperatures dipped lower and lower (it’s been a brisk springtime here in New York City). And as the sun crept closer to the horizon, I came across a tiny opening near an overpass, next to a parkway where this gorgeous, fairy tale scene appeared just around the bend.

Sometimes there is nothing than better…

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You can view this post along with all relevant links over at my photography blog here:

http://nythroughthelens.com/post/49734054163/cherry-blossoms-new-york-spring-bay-ridge

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Tags: #photography   #newyorkcity   #nyc   #mobilephotography   #cherryblossoms   #spring  #springtime... more »

2013-05-04 01:24:53 (44 comments, 33 reshares, 532 +1s)

"Infinity..."

Being above the skyscrapers of midtown Manhattan makes the mind and heart pause.

It’s hard to take in the immensity of the view especially after sunset when all of the city’s lights flicker like stars in a sky suspended upside down over an ocean full of clouds.

But, after a few moments, something else happens.

The mind reels, tipsy after taking its first, lingering sip of the cityscape.

And, with giddy eagerness, the eyes wander over every roof and into every window, past the fast moving traffic that zips across the city streets like shooting stars.

How many dreams are bursting forth, ready to propel themselves from the minds of urban dreamers: out from inside the walls, offices, apartments, and houses that contain them?

How many hopes are being uttered at the same time?

How many love songsare... more »

2013-05-03 01:49:35 (18 comments, 4 reshares, 216 +1s)

"Under the Manhattan Bridge in Chinatown..."
—-

When winter shifts into spring, the light shifts too.

Stark, short afternoons that end too abruptly morph into vivid, warm afternoons that linger until the sky relents.

—-


This was taken on a stark, short afternoon that was only mildly flirting with spring a week or so ago before the city erupted into full-on springtime mode.

This is one of my favorite parts of Chinatown: under the Manhattan Bridge.

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You can view this post with all relevant links over at my photography blog here:

http://nythroughthelens.com/post/49479727852/under-the-manhattan-bridge-two-bridges

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Tags: #photography   #nyc   #newyorkcity   #chinatown   #newyorkcityphotography   #newyorkphoto   #nycphoto   #twobridges   #cityphotography  #urbanphotog... more »

2013-04-30 19:22:03 (27 comments, 7 reshares, 275 +1s)

"Some of us..."

With layers of dirt and paint under our nails from constantly peeling back the layers of this city, it’s not the stars we seek.

It’s the light that seeps through…

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You can view this post over at my photography blog with relevant links if you wish:

http://nythroughthelens.com/post/49275152018/williamsburg-brooklyn-hewes-street-with

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Tags: #photography   #nyc   #newyorkcity   #newyorkcityphotography   #newyorkphoto   #brooklyn   #williamsburg   #subwayoverpass   #urbandecay   #cityphotography   #urbanphotography   #light   #sun   #poetry   #prose  

2013-04-26 23:06:37 (29 comments, 0 reshares, 109 +1s)

I know I haven't posted in quite a while. I have a lot of stuff going on in my life right now. I wouldn't even know where to begin even if I had a spot to share the info with wild abandon (I have been missing the early days of Livejournal for this reason. Yes, I have no shame admitting this!).

Anyway, I am still here. Just sort of all over the place and feeling a little apathetic regarding social media for a whole host of reasons that if I were to even start listing would turn into a super long critique of the state of the online world (hah).

I have also been busy taking two courses via Coursera: HCI/UX and Gamification which has been eating through some of my time.

Hope all of you are well.

I am off to take an aimless walk to cure this ridiculous state of unfulfilled wanderlust I am experiencing.

2013-04-17 00:50:03 (70 comments, 50 reshares, 695 +1s)

"Impermanence..."

Through eyelashes wet with rain,

a thousand thoughts fall

to the ground

and through the raindrops

the city lights blur together

as shadows make their way

into the night -

impermanence

registered with

every blink.

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You can view this post with all relevant links over at my photography blog here:

http://nythroughthelens.com/post/48161209025/new-york-city-rain-bryant-park-midtown

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Tags: #photography   #newyorkcity   #nyc   #newyorkcityphotography   #newyorkphoto   #nycphoto   #nycphotography   #blackandwhite   #blackandwhitenyc   #rain   #night   #noir   #noiretblanc   #cityrain   #nycrain   #newyorkrain   #newyorknight   #nycnight   #nycnoir  

2013-04-13 17:50:10 (231 comments, 214 reshares, 1440 +1s)

The Brooklyn Bridge and New York City skyline

It’s interesting how long exposure photography makes you acutely aware of the environment. This was taken on a cold night as a storm was rolling in. In between stubborn sustained wind gusts as the water from the East River lapped at the edges of Brooklyn Bridge Park gushing over the sides every so often as if to foreshadow what the clouds were hoping to do to the city, I waited for a few eerie moments of unabashed calm.

Shortly after sunset as storm clouds moved in and the increasingly darkening sky turned various shades of purple and blue, there were a few minutes of calm silence. And as the water played nice and the wind decided to run its own marathon elsewhere, 4 seconds were there for the capturing before the skies unleashed their watery exclamations in the form of rain.

This is one of the more popular vantagep... more »

2013-04-11 01:30:20 (80 comments, 61 reshares, 804 +1s)

New York City at night
—-

Night slides across the sky

like a trumpet’s note falling over a syncopated rhythm

and the stars swoon and sway

mesmerized by the city lights

that pulsate to their own time signature.

—-

I have been traipsing all over the city for the last few months trying to capture a large majority of New York City’s skyline views. I think everyone has a particular skyline view they immediately think of when they think of the city. And yet, it’s still incredible to me after all this time that I come across different skyline angles that I hadn’t previously come across or had the time to explore before from certain vantage points.

New York City has several prominent skyline views that are popular. One is in lower Manhattan and usually includes the skyscrapers of the Financial Districtalong with ... more »

2013-04-09 14:35:10 (37 comments, 28 reshares, 435 +1s)

New York City streets and skyscrapers - from above

—-
When you find yourself above New York City (or perhaps any city), what really stands out are all of the layers of activity. It’s hard to completely grasp the layers when you are among them everyday. But when you change your perspective, it really shifts your understanding of the complexities of urban life.

This is a view of the entrance to the Queensboro Bridge (also known as the Ed Koch Queensboro Bridge, 59th Street Bridge, and Queens Bridge) and the skyscrapers of the New York City skyline in midtown Manhattan close to 59th Street on the east side. It was taken with the Sony A99 from the vantage point of the Roosevelt Island Tram, a tram that crosses over the East River from midtown Manhattan to Roosevelt Island a around 100 times a day.

Aside from the cross-section of a part of the midtown Manhattansky... more »

2013-04-06 22:43:35 (132 comments, 153 reshares, 1208 +1s)

New York City at night - Queensboro Bridge and Manhattan skyline

When the night falls hard onto the city’s shoulders and the sky drapes a dark blanket over the skyscrapers and buildings, it’s hard to contain the effervescent charm that bursts forth after the sun has retreated.

—-

This is the Queensboro Bridge which is known by a few other names depending on where you are from and how long you have lived in New York City. Despite growing up in Queens, I will always think of this bridge as the 59th Street Bridge because I think I belonged to one of the few families in Queens that for whatever reason associated the bridge more with 59th Street in Manhattan. It’s also known as Queens Bridge which is a shortened form of Queensboro Bridge. Its current official name is the Ed Koch Queensboro Bridge, named after the now deceased former mayor of New York City who heldoffice ... more »

2013-04-04 06:58:52 (23 comments, 17 reshares, 333 +1s)

"Overview..."

I have been afraid of heights since I can remember. Even stepping on a tall foot stool would send me into a frenzied panic. It’s partially a control issue and partially an irrational fear of the eternal “what if” quandary related to my own mortality. And yet, I have discovered as I get older that there is something supremely thrilling about being high up above things especially being high up above New York City. It’s the same scattered sense of adrenaline-fueled excitement I get when I consider the vastness of the ocean. And in some ways, I think both vantage points offer the same sense of displaced wonder.

A month or so ago, I watched an absolutely incredible video called Overview which examined something called the Overview Effect. The Overview Effect is “a cognitive shift in awareness reported by some astronauts and cosmonauts during spaceflight,often whi... more »

2013-04-05 03:21:11 (32 comments, 26 reshares, 395 +1s)

"New York City skyscrapers from above..."

This New York City skyline image was taken from the top of the Empire State Building on an absolutely gorgeous summer morning with the Sony A77. The light from the sun in the summertime is unmatched in some respects. It seems to take on a distinct golden quality as it shines through the heavy summer air that hangs languidly over the city’s rooftops.

This particular view is of the tops of the skyscrapers and buildings of midtown Manhattan facing east.

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You can view this post along with all relevant links over at my photography blog here if you wish:

http://nythroughthelens.com/post/46943783149/new-york-city-skyscrapers-and-rooftops-from-above

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Tags: #photography   #newyorkcity   #nyc   #nycphotography   #nycphoto   #newyorkcityphotography   #newyorkphoto   #skyline  #cityscap... more »

2013-04-01 20:05:55 (60 comments, 8 reshares, 407 +1s)

Needed a change of pace from my previous dramatic profile photo. ;)

2013-03-31 23:58:24 (25 comments, 4 reshares, 84 +1s)

Experience the smell of Parisian streets in the morning...

"Flakey croissants dipped in brewing espresso..."

;)

Thanks #googlenose  #google  #aprilfools   #aprilfoolsday 

2013-04-01 17:10:34 (88 comments, 75 reshares, 946 +1s)

New York City - Sunset

—-

I never really get tired of this view.

I know I have expressed that sentiment many times but it’s absolutely true. There’s something incredibly breathtaking that occurs when you are above the rooftops of the city. It’s as if the city shrinks below a vast sky in a huge universe and everything that once seemed impossible seems effortless and within the realm of possibility.

It’s so easy to forget that sort of thing when you live in a large city like New York City. When you are in the thick of it all, it can feel like the you are alone in a never-ending maze of cavernous streets as everyone else’s dreams and hopes fly past you at the speed of light. But when you take yourself out from the middle of everything and change your perspective, it’s as if the city holds its arms out to you beckoning you to come back and putyour own drea... more »

2013-04-01 17:16:57 (34 comments, 19 reshares, 404 +1s)

"Fireflies..."

If you stop to squint long enough

all the dreams whispered on the wind during the day

flicker like fireflies when the evening

stretches out across the sky

and the rain washes the city’s despair away

so it can dream itself into another sunrise.

—-


This was taken on earlier this evening overlooking the New York City skyline and the Brooklyn Bridge in Brooklyn. I was taking long exposures earlier this evening and as the sky filled with enormous clouds shortly after sunset as the city’s lights sprinkled themselves like glitter all over the evening cityscape and it was as if everything else melted away.

These are the moments I want to bottle up and save for later. And that’s why I absolutely love photography.

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You can view this post with all relevantlinks o... more »

2013-03-25 22:55:20 (28 comments, 10 reshares, 107 +1s)

Stocksy - a new hope...

In case you haven't already heard the big news, there is a revolutionary new stock agency that just went live today called +Stocksy United .Here are some news stories about Stocksy to whet the appetite:

+Bruce Livingstone 's blog post over on Stocksy that provides some excellent context and explains what Stocksy is about: Stocksy - Alive :

http://blog.stocksy.com/blog/2013/3/21/stocksy-a-new-hope

+Thomas Hawk 's moving and excellent post that so perfectly states what many of us were feeling in regards to the state of the online stock industry prior to Stocksy as well as his thoughts about Stocksy: Why I Quit Getty Images and Why I'm Moving My Stock Photography Sales to Stocksy  :
h... more »

2013-04-01 17:30:22 (33 comments, 30 reshares, 434 +1s)

"In the palm of its hands..."

When clouds pull themselves over the city after sunset, the city reaches up to greet the night with stars in its eyes and a racing pulse.

And when the night reaches down to hold the city in the palm of its hands, the city’s lights spill out onto a dark sky peppering it with stars.

—-


There is a heady essence of myth and legend that permeates the in-between times of the day. It seems to seep out especially in the evening just after the sun has reached the horizon when the air is thick with legend. One of my favorite activities is waiting for night to fall while experiencing the deep inhale and exhale of the city. Light spills out from the buildings and pours itself onto the surface of the water and the sky while the blue of the day’s sky melts into the night’s palm.

—-


This wastaken on ... more »

2013-04-05 03:25:54 (32 comments, 13 reshares, 422 +1s)

"Light falls..."

I have been on a strange sort of journey lately when it comes to photography. And I have noticed a shift in my vision or rather a slight deepening of meaning that I am seeking when it comes to the imagery I have been consuming and capturing. I have been watching a tremendous amount of documentaries about photography and photographers trying to understand where my own peculiar sort of artistic unrest is originating from. I suspect the angst has to do with a visual tiredness and unease at the overwhelming amount of imagery that seems to be in circulation at any given moment online. I am pondering writing a series of essays on the rise of mass consumption and sharing and how it correlates to various trends in offline photography but the ideas are all still percolating.

A series that really, really touched me though is called Contacts. I devoured all of Contacts:... more »

2013-04-01 17:48:09 (21 comments, 19 reshares, 323 +1s)

"Hazy promises..."

Late summer light

hangs over the city:

humid-laden heartache

tinged with heavy hope

and hazy promises.

—-


Where the winter brings a crystal sharp clarity to New York City, the summer seems to bring with it a gorgeous, bittersweet gauze-like haze.

Summers in New York City cling to the ribs and heart like ethereal remnants of distant thoughts peeking their heads out of the sea of heat and humidity.

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Taken with the Sony A77.

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View this post over on my photography blog if you wish here:

http://nythroughthelens.com/post/45797553996/new-york-city-skyline-and-the-chrysler-building-on

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Tags: #photography   #newyorkcity   #nyc   #manhattan   #newyorkcityphotography   #nycphotography   #newyor... more »

2013-05-09 06:57:37 (64 comments, 73 reshares, 726 +1s)

Cherry blossoms in Central Park

We dream of springtime

with our eyes closed in winter

as snow turns from white to pink

cascading down on the backs of our eyelids

in a slideshow of a moment

that is hard to grasp onto

but difficult to forget.

—-

There is nothing quite like springtime in New York City. This is a view of the cherry trees that line the Bridle Path in Central Park. Like autumn, spring is barely a lingering whisper that brushes up against our faces for what seems like a second.

-

Taken with the Sony A55.

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You can view this post along with all relevant links over at my photography blog here:

http://nythroughthelens.com/post/45466687098/cherry-blossoms-in-central-park-new-york-city-in

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Tags: #photography   #n... more »

2013-04-01 17:57:41 (32 comments, 33 reshares, 454 +1s)

"From darkness into light..."

I had a recurring dream when I was younger that puzzled me for years. It involved boarding a hovering bubble shaped vehicle and ascending over the skyscrapers until I was soaring under the bridges and through the cavern-like spaces of the city. It was euphoric but also terrifying at the same time. When I was older, I finally relayed the dream to someone and they laughed and asked if I had ever taken the Roosevelt Island tram when I was very young. I had no recollection of it. It prompted me to ask my mother if we had ever done such a thing and she said it was possible but she couldn't remember a specific time that we would have done it (my mother, like me, is absolutely terrified of heights). It’s possible that my family took the tram to Roosevelt Island at some point and the experience embedded itself deep into my imagination where it mixed withoth... more »

2013-04-01 18:09:42 (60 comments, 55 reshares, 591 +1s)

"All that glitters..."

My recent foray into experimenting with long exposures has been blossoming into a zen journey. I am a solitary shooter by preference. While I thrive on being around people, when I am shooting it’s an almost spiritual experience that I enjoy only when I am alone. The world tends to melt away and my thoughts evaporate into whatever it is I am shooting. I am not sure if it is because my mind runs at around 1000 miles per hour normally and resembles a rushing waterfall of activity that I seek out these types of experiences where I can calm the mental flow into a gentle stream of thoughts but I am finding long exposures to be an absolutely blissful experience.

This is the result of a 20 second exposure taken late last week from Roosevelt Island with the Sony A99. I have been shooting skylines for the past month for a secret project that I can’t talkabo... more »

2013-03-12 17:47:25 (48 comments, 4 reshares, 47 +1s)

Looking for a job! (  #operationgetagreatjobin2013  )

Here is my Linkedin profile:

https://www.linkedin.com/pub/vivienne-gucwa/52/a0a/ab3

What am I interested in?: I am interested in community support, general support, social media, and positions related (directly or tangentially) to those types of fields.

Why you would love to have me on your team: I am extremely driven, love to work, and thrive on the adrenaline rush that comes with seeking innovative and creative solutions to problems. I also genuinely love people and have had a blast interacting with the communities I interact with on a regular basis online and in my contractual support work. 

Regarding my experience and current freelance/contract positions:  While I am doing freelance/contract work currently (and it is freelance/contract work I absolutely love) -it ... more »

2013-04-01 18:17:14 (103 comments, 114 reshares, 1189 +1s)

New York Winter - Snowy night on 42nd Street


New York City resembles a snow-globe when snow first falls.

As the snow swirls, the trees reach over the city streets as if they are trying to catch snowflakes with their bare, graceful branches.

—-


This was taken at night during a winter storm in New York City that dropped enough snow to turn the city into a winter wonderland momentarily. This is the area on 42nd Street next to Bryant Park across from the Grace Building which can be seen partially on the left-hand side of the image.

It’s one of my favorite spots to snow-gaze at night.

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Taken with the Sony A99.

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You can view this post along with all relevant links over at my photography blog here:
h... more »

2013-04-01 18:20:57 (41 comments, 18 reshares, 378 +1s)

The New York City skyline in the Financial District as seen from midtown Manhattan

I love the variety of skyscrapers that make up the New York City skyline in lower Manhattan. They jut up like stalagmites from the city floor. This skyline view is usually photographed from the other side usually across the East River but this is a view of the skyline as seen from midtown Manhattan. Prominent works of architecture include New York by Gehry and the Municipal Building.

—-

I have been experimenting quite a bit with post-processing. Someone commented on another photo of mine that I posted recently (in a negative fashion) that it didn’t seem like my other work. I replied: “That’s the beauty of art and vision - both have the freedom to change and evolve. Without that freedom, things would remain stagnant.” I can see how my style has changed over the last 3 months orso and I ... more »

2013-03-05 18:44:54 (41 comments, 0 reshares, 43 +1s)

I know I have been a bit absent in terms of posting lately. I am under a lot of stress financially and have been hitting the pavement looking for a job (more freelance and/or something substantial to sink my eager teeth into since the freelance work I am doing now is limited in terms of hours).

I have also been doing some secret art projects that I can't talk about and which don't pay but have offered a nice mental escape from job-hunting and the stress that goes along with that.

Just an update. If anyone has any job leads, I would be immensely grateful.

2013-04-01 19:04:40 (48 comments, 52 reshares, 553 +1s)

The New York City Skyline and Central Park from above during sunset

Summer evenings are when the city smolders

as the sun paints the clouds

and the night sky waits just another hour longer

to dance with the last remnants of the day.


—-


This is a view of the skyscrapers of midtown Manhattan and Central Park from above looking north towards upper Manhattan. I took this at the end of August on a gorgeous, sweltering evening. I made it up to the top deck of Top of the Rock (30 Rock) just as this spectacular sunset was making its way across the sky.

It’s hard not to feel overcome with emotion when the summer sky puts on one of its late summer sunset shows. When it happens, the city is bathed in an other-worldly glow as the lights in the buildings twinkle on like stars and the sky and the impossible all seem tomel... more »

2013-04-01 18:56:58 (30 comments, 25 reshares, 407 +1s)

"Whisper..."

You exist, this I am sure of with only slightly wavering certainty that vibrates with nothing but the tiny memory of a breeze.

You, a whisper in the night on lips that mouth your name swollen with hope.

You, a whisper that launches forth dreams on the backs of my eyelids.

And I exist too, this I am sure of with quivering certainty that holds steady in the presence of the strongest of wind gusts.

I, the whisper your lips haven’t yet come across.

I, the branch that sways in the warm embrace of possibility.

I, the whisper that dances delicately in the night.

-

New York Photography: White cherry blossoms. Central Park.

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You can view this post with all relevant links over at my photography blog here if you wish:
more »

2013-04-01 19:04:57 (55 comments, 72 reshares, 697 +1s)

New York City Skyline and the roof tops of Brooklyn Heights at sunset

Summer evenings in New York City weave their own spell when summer night skies slide onto the city through the sticky-sweet haze.

The skyscrapers cling to the sunlight wrapped up in the glow and hazy anticipation of just one more kiss of light.

—-

This was taken at the peak of last summer from a skyscraper balcony in Brooklyn over looking the skyline of Brooklyn Heights, the Brooklyn Bridge and a very hazy lower Manhattan skyline. I was shooting with a camera I wasn’t at all used to shooting with and the temperature was hovering near 80 degrees at night with nearly 100% humidity. The air was thick as molasses and the heat was unrelenting but it was an absolutely gorgeous summer sunset.

It’s usually this point of the winter when I start pining for summer evenings like thisforge... more »

2013-04-01 18:27:27 (40 comments, 23 reshares, 473 +1s)

The New York City Skyline - Skyscrapers of the Financial District

In the winter, there is a clarity and edge that is carried on the frigid fingers of icy air and crystallized exhales.

—-
I have been really getting into long exposures. There is something incredibly zen about the experience of setting up, and taking long exposures. The waiting is interesting. It forces a pause in the process. You start to be hyper-aware of the movement of clouds and light transitions. In the winter especially, it’s a commitment. The minute or so of waiting seems to encompass an eternity of thought(s).
—-

This is a 30 second exposure of the lower Manhattan skyline featuring the skyscrapers of the Financial District and Pier 17 taken with the Sony a99. The Freedom Tower (also known as 1 WTC or One World Trade Center), New York by Gehry, the Woolworth Building and the spireof th... more »

2013-04-01 18:32:37 (35 comments, 17 reshares, 411 +1s)

"Sun-kissed..."

Late summer and early autumn sunsets in New York City are intensely beautiful. The city seems to cling to every bit of sunlight through a haze that sleepily hangs low over the urban waterfront. This was taken near the end of a four hour long ferry ride back and forth around the East River in the late summer. There were barely any people on the ferry that day and I spent entire rides just taking note of the sun’s descent in the sky.

When this moment occurred, it was so brief and fleeting and yet so dramatic in its intensity as the sun dipped towards the midtown skyline grazing the skyscrapers that I barely even knew if I captured it properly since the waves were kicking up in the river and the boat was swaying up and down over the waves. By then, I had gotten my ‘sea legs’ and knew the exact way to stand and counter the movement with my camera in myhands... more »

2013-04-01 18:36:21 (150 comments, 158 reshares, 1496 +1s)

New York City - Skyline Sunset

There is something really extraordinary about the shift between day and night in New York City. It’s gradual and at the same time abrupt in its magnitude. The lights on the skyscrapers flicker on as the night sky pulls itself over the city while the sun is still dancing with the horizon. I love this time more than I love the moments when the sun disappears for the night.

It’s this sort of in-between time that seems to suit a city full of people who feed off the frenetic energy and constant shifts that occur on a momentary basis. New York City rarely dwells in absolutes. Its landscape and structures only seem to remain still.

—-

This is a 20 second long exposure taken with the Sony a99 from the highest desk on the Top of the Rock (also known as 30 Rock and the top of Rockefeller Center). The skyscrapers of midtownManha... more »

2013-04-01 19:05:37 (24 comments, 27 reshares, 402 +1s)

New York romance

Stolen moments are the sweetest moments.

When the rest of the city has escaped for the day, the world melts away with a lingering kiss under an umbrella.

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It’s really no secret that Doyers Street is one of my favorite streets in lower Manhattan. It’s an alley (or very narrow street) that is usually photographed from an entirely different angle. In fact, the fact that it has a sharp angle in it goes along with its colorful history. Its angle was known as “the Bloody Angle” for part of the 20th century due to gang violence.

This is just around the bend from the more popular part of the angle and also across from one of my favorite noodle shops in Chinatown. I love moments like this that are so completely candid but somehow feel cinematic. I had just walked out from the above-mentioned noodle shop when I was met with thisscene. ... more »

2013-04-01 19:11:59 (65 comments, 73 reshares, 827 +1s)

New York winter night on 5th Avenue

This is one of my favorite scenes from last Friday night’s snowstorm with the Sony A99. Quite a few people asked me how I was able to take photos without having snow and water droplets on my camera lens. It was quite a production actually. As I explained in my initial post, I wrapped my camera lens in plastic and then poked a hole in a plastic bag and threaded the lens through that hole. The rest of the plastic bag went over the camera as a covering. I secured the plastic with a lens hood which came in handy during periods of blowing snow. When I wasn’t taking a photo I would point the camera down lens to the ground so that when snow blew towards me, it would blow and collect on the outside of the lens hood keeping the lens relatively dry and clean. I also had a lens filter on the lens.


This meant that I only had a tiny amount oftim... more »

2013-05-01 07:27:31 (213 comments, 225 reshares, 1558 +1s)

Winter storm Nemo in New York City  (photos from Lower East Side all the way up to Times Square including a snowball fight in Times Square!)

My entire set of photos is up here on my Flickr (there are around 40 photos): http://www.flickr.com/photos/vivnsect/sets/72157632721986487/

Camera: Sony a99 | Lens: 18-55mm f/3.5- 5.6
—-

I live for snowstorms in New York City. So you can just imagine how bummed I was last winter season when we barely got any snow. Growing up in New York City, I remember quite a few blizzards and its with fond nostalgia that I always wish for at least one great snowstorm during the winter. New York City is extra beautiful when covered in a blanket of freshly fallen snow.

When I heard that winter storm Nemo (also known as the Blizzard of 2013, February snowstorm and other terms) was going to deliver some gorgeous whitefla... more »

2013-02-06 14:01:24 (19 comments, 26 reshares, 408 +1s)

Stone Street - New York's first paved street


Stone Street is a narrow cobblestone alley that was first developed by Dutch colonists in the 1600s. Its claim to fame is that it is New York City’s first paved street and as such it is recognized as a historic landmark. 

It’s the main part of an area currently known as the Stone Street Historic District. Nestled among skyscrapers in the Financial District, it’s something of a time machine back into another era of New York City’s history. The street is the site where British merchants traded and sold goods, where American colonialists passionately spoke of independence and where tracts of land were purchased and sold (completely disregarding the earlier inhabitants of the area). 

The Dutch West India Company first sold this area to European property owners in the mid 1600s. It was around 1658 that thestreet wa... more »

2013-02-01 14:10:12 (36 comments, 23 reshares, 357 +1s)

"The teasing warmth of winter sunlight..."

These are the skyscrapers of midtown Manhattan from above as seen from the top of Rockefeller Center (Top of the Rock). Looking out over these time and weather-worn buildings, it’s almost incredible to think of the sheer amount of activity occurring behind each tiny-eyed window at any given time.

This is a scene that peaks in the teasing warmth of winter sunlight as the sun dips towards the horizon in the late afternoon. With rooftops covered with a light glaze of snow and with sultry exhales of smoke billowing out into the late afternoon sunlight, the city basks momentarily in distant memories of summer. 

When I was younger, I used to imagine how incredible it would be to fly through the city like Batman. I would close my eyes and imagine dipping into the dark,narrow valleys created by tall skyscraper peaks. I wouldas... more »

2013-01-30 15:11:15 (51 comments, 39 reshares, 652 +1s)

"Ghost shiver..."  (my reasons why I love plus listed below in the content of this post)

I think back to days spent wrapped in the cold silence of freshly fallen snow in Central Park. 

The labyrinth-like path leading from Shakespeare Garden lined by a wooden fence twists and turns in the snow winding its way under trees whose branches reach out to each other like eager arms awaiting the warmth of an embrace.

It’s on days like this when the sun rests longer than usual and winter’s essence seeps through every crack and crevice that the earth quivers a ghost shiver that rests in summer’s memory.

—-

The rustic wooden fence rests on a four acre section of Central Park known as the Shakespeare Garden which is located in the west part of the park near 79th Street. On the 300th anniversary of William Shakespeare’s death in 1916, this areawas dedicat... more »

2013-01-28 15:03:50 (56 comments, 38 reshares, 511 +1s)

The New York City skyline and the Empire State Building

When the night pulls its cobalt blanket over the city
the lights flicker like stars
in a magnificent universe.
And the world pauses
for a minute or two
enthralled in a reciprocal gaze
of epic proportion.
—-

The hour right after the sun dips below the horizon is one of the most enchanting hours of the day. It’s not quite day and not quite night but it’s a blended mixture of the two. There is no better place to witness this transformation in New York City than 70 stories up in the air on the observation deck of Rockefeller Center (known colloquially as Top of the Rock). After feeling the elation that comes with watching the sun set over the city, all of the city’s lights come into view twinkling little by little until they all seem to build up to the most intense crescendo ofillumin... more »

2013-01-26 00:18:23 (58 comments, 57 reshares, 694 +1s)

"Intoxicating..."

Late summer sunsets over New York City are the most intoxicating.

The bubbles from the wake of boats in the river go right to the head.

And the sun’s trail of gold kisses on the water

lead straight to the heart of the city.

—-

It’s this time of year when I start to miss late summer sunsets like this in New York City. This was taken near the end of this past September with the Sony a77 and Zeiss DT Vario-Sonnar 16-80mm lens (that lens, that lens! is pure love).

When I need to clear my mind, I head to the water. Sometimes I go to the beach to listen to the waves and sometimes I go to the river to gain perspective on everything going on in my life. I don’t know what I would do if I lived in a land-locked area.

On the day that I took this photo, I rode the East River Ferry for 4 hoursstraigh... more »

2013-01-23 13:57:14 (49 comments, 42 reshares, 484 +1s)

"Snow-icing..."

Soho is so beautiful in the snow especially right after snow has freshly fallen and still sits like icing on the fire escapes and street signs.

This part of Soho is part of the Soho Cast Iron District which consists of 500 buildings that feature distinct cast-iron architecture spanning over a 26 block radius. Many of the buildings date back to the 1870s when the area was primarily residential. However, most of the residences during the later part of the 20th century were converted for commercial use which allowed Soho to play an integral role in the commercial development of New York City.

This is a view looking north up Mercer Street in Soho towards midtown. The Chrysler Building can be seen in the distance. The snow-covered sign on the left belongs to Fanelli’s Cafe which has stood in this spot since the 1850s.

—-

Thiswas... more »

2013-01-21 15:08:56 (34 comments, 13 reshares, 284 +1s)

"Glowing promise of warmth..."

When the days concede to night in the winter, there is a certain comfort in the glow of neon city lights.

This particular view is of St. Mark’s Place in the East Village. The giant cow on the right belongs to the restaurant Mark (“We grind our own beef”) and the colorful neon signs belong to Andromeda - a tattoo and piercing establishment that merged with the West Village’s Cassioppia a few years back.

The sign that is partially concealed on the left under the tree branches (with shoes hanging off of them!) is Rockit Scientist Records which was a great records store that dated back to the mid 1990s when the East Village was home to far more records stores and had a more eclectic vibe.

There is a coldness to neon that is eclipsed by a peculiar sort of warmth when the windchill dips into the single digits. It’s asign of l... more »