Two Shoes

Whenever I see abandoned shoes in the city, I wonder who left them and how they got there. Sometimes, they just seem to have been perfectly placed. Other times just dropped in a random way on the sidewalk.

What's Wrong?

This was shot from the window where I used to work facing east across sixth avenue (between 21st & 22nd street).

It hasn't been doctored in photoshop.

a) What's wrong with this picture.

ANSWER: THE CARS ARE MOVING THE WRONG WAY ON SIXTH AVENUE. SIXTH AVENUE RUNS UPTOWN. THE CARS ARE MOVING DOWNTOWN.

b) What could the reason be?

CLUE: THE FIRST THREE CARS ARE ATTACHED TO EACH OTHER. You can clearly see the bar attaching the first and 2nd cars. The link between the 2nd and third cars is less visible but it's there.

AND THE FINAL CLUE IS: SAMUEL L. JACKSON

YES:
Die Hard: With a Vengeance They did at least one big car crash / explosion on 6th Avenue. The film came out in 1995, so figure this was shot around then. I waited for a while on 6th avenue with my Hexar, for the explosion but they kept having glitches and calling it off. Finally I had to get in to work so I went up to the 4th Floor, and there was a window that you could actually open - leaned out and shot this as the cars were moving DOWN sixth avenue. When I first saw the negative the other day - I was just wondering about the odd configuration of the cars. When I looked closer, I saw the bar and chain holding the first cars together and remembered the movie shot that day.

Blizzard, Park Avenue

(Date Unknown)

Church in Parking Lot

I was always tempted to call this, Church of the Holy Parking Lot. But now looking back on where I was standing (WTC Plaza) when I took it - it doesn't seem that funny. The longer I photograph, the more temporary everything becomes.

Photography is good at grabbing these scenes for posperity. What struck me as an odd juxtaposition years ago - turns out to also be a record, in this case of a scene that was blown away in an instant.



(Detail from one of the signs).

I shot this on a tripod with the EOS 50mm f1.4. You can easily read all the parking rates, and even the make of the air-conditioner sticking out of the back of the church. The monthly charge for cars was $329.81 plus: 18.25% city and parking tax. (And this was with the rather grainy Delta 400 film). I don't think the 50mm f1/4 was their cheapest lens - but it surely was one of their best.

Two Chefs

Early shot of the Metropolitan, with Canonet on tripod at dusk. This is the Egyptian Room. In 15 years since this shot was taken, I've never seen a catered affair at night in this spot.

Weber

Matt Weber's next show will be at: the Pierre Menard Gallery in Cambridge. I put this in the blog because he's a friend and a talented photographer. "Talented photographer" is a banal phrase but it's the best I can do right now.

Looking for Seat

I've been having problems with my scanner lately. I've been scanning in straight street shots but they keep coming out with these surreal patterns. I called Lester to come over and fix it but he said there was nothing wrong with it and the picture looked correct to him.

Fifth Avenue Escalator

This actually began as another homage to Feininger, but I couldn't leave well enough alone.

Memphis Man

Okay - the backstory: this was on the corner of 23rd and 6th. Used to be a parking lot there.

I often stop to talk to street musicians before photographing them. I asked him where he was from and he told me Memphis. He had that hard Muddy Waters sound. I asked if he could play Crossroads and he paused for a second (this shot) and then began to play the Johnson Crossroads. I stopped and listened without taking any other shots. He was the real thing. I gave him a few dollars, walked on to work, and never saw him again.

3rd Ave. Reflection 2005

Rockefeller Center

I did a 16 x 20 of this one yesterday. Beautiful. I read that they opened the Top of The Rock restaurant (or whatever it's called). I want to visit.

8:26

I love the hands coming out to hold what I guess is a torch - not really sure what it is (above the clock). Madison? Lex? Midtown.