Happy Holidays everyone! I hope the season is treating you all well.
As some of you may have noticed already, there is a new look and feel to my blog/site. I have decided to get a jump on my New Year's Resolution this year, which is to get this blog back up and running on a regular basis. With this in mind, I have done a complete redesign and relaunch of the site, and this is my inaugural post! It is my goal to put up at least 3-4 posts per month going forward, and I have a whole bunch of photographic excitement to catch you all up on, so be sure to check back often! I welcome any feedback/suggestions you may have, or even any requests for photoblog topics! Just leave a comment or submit your notes via the 'contact' page.
And now, without any further ado...
Halloween would usually find me dressing up in a horrific or humorous (or both) costume and partying the night away with friends, but it just so happened that my wife was going to be out of town for an extended stay after the passing of a loved one. So, I found myself with a rare day to myself to do anything I wanted. Since I had not shot anything in or around the City in a while, I decided to spend the day on a photographic 'walkabout', hitting a number of locations that I had on the back burner for a while now. I mapped out a route that would take me on a long journey through Gotham, specifically seeking architectural and cityscape compositions, as well as one really cool discovery...
My journey began chasing sunrise in New Jersey. Or more accurately, sunrise was chasing me, as I neglected to set my alarm correctly (d'oh)! I know, I know, who goes to Jersey if they don't have to, right? Well let me tell you - even though I missed sunrise over Downtown, this was worth it. If you've never been to Liberty State Park (or never heard of it, as was the case with me), you owe yourself a trip. The park is only a few minutes outside of Manhattan, and aside from offering outstanding views of the City from the West, and being home to Empty Sky Memorial (the chromate walls of the memorial point your eyes directly to where the Towers used to stand - super powerful), a little known historical treasure lies dormant.
The Central Railroad of New Jersey (CRRNJ) Terminal building stands vigil next to the river, a testament to the industrial might that formed the NY Metro area. Renovations have been under way since Sandy to the main terminal building (which will eventually once again act as the terminal for the ferries to Ellis and Liberty Islands). Though the building outwardly appears fairly uninteresting, a closer look through the construction fence is like looking straight back in time. The platform is in nearly pristine condition, with track signs announcing phantom arrivals and departures. You can almost sense the bustle of the crowds of a century ago. Moving around the building, the condition worsens considerably, but on the back side of the platform, the covered track beds are still intact, though the superstructure appears to be ready to crumble at any moment. The overhangs are coated in richly colored rust and patina, gently bringing the viewer back to present day as the terminal displays its true age.
After circling the property and checking out the permanently parked train cars, I hopped in the car and headed back into the City (see, I didn't stay in Jersey like a crazy person..)
Though I am a born-and-bred New Yorker, and have been living in Metro area for better than 10 years now, I have never actually walked the Highline. This would be my next stop. Thankfully there weren't too many tourists clogging the place up, so I was able to enjoy a leisurely stroll along the route that took me from Chelsea Market to Hudson Yards. This is another recommendation if you haven't yet checked it out - there are plenty of opportunities for unconventional views of the city's landmarks and lesser-known architectural wonders.
I exited the raised walkway after peering into the construction pits of Hudson Yards and rounding the new rail station. From there I walked east cross-town, before turning north on Park Ave towards Grand Central. The iconic train station is sort of a cliche spot for photos, but I'm sorry, I just love it. The building lives up the adjectives in its name, and is nothing short of breathtaking, even seeing it for the umpteenth time.
My next planned stop was Fulton Center, which would have been an easy subway ride away. But it was such a beautiful day outside, I decided to continue to enjoy the weather and views and hoof it downtown. Now, anyone who is not familiar with how far that actually is, I urge you to fire up Google Maps and take a look. My legs were burning by the end of the day, and I'm no stranger to long photohikes!
The upside of the outdoor route was that I was able to take a couple quick detours to grab a few quick snaps of Washington Square Park, the Flatiron building, and a couple other buildings.
After the other 'build-up stops', the central concourse of Fulton Center did not disappoint. I ignored the odd but knowing looks from the cops posted there as I purposefully walked to the center and looked up with the camera to my eye. I actually wished a had a wider lens with me for this shot, but there was only so much I could carry on my back for this particular journey.
I exited the station, and curled my way around One World Trade back to my parking spot. It was now late afternoon, and I wanted to catch sunset from Brooklyn. I parked near Manhattan Bridge, and took some time to walk around Brooklyn Bridge Park before staking out my spot for sunset.
Unfortunately, the spot I picked (though it offered great composition for my shot of the Carousel, Bridge and LES) was plagued by costumed passersby, hysterically crying newly-ex-girlfriends (not mine), and incredibly amateurish engagement photographers (and I use the term loosely). It wasn't long before I couldn't take it anymore and moved. Though it initially annoyed me, it worked out pretty well in the end. After making a number of shots from different vantage points (and meeting a nice bunch of dudes decked out in Ghostbusters jumpsuits hanging out with Ecto-1), I drove home pretty well satisfied. Check out some of my favorite selections below, and let me know what you think!
