Behind The Lens: NYC 2019 Calendar

Last year I challenged myself personally to create a calendar of pictures I took of New York City with my Pentax camera. The trick was that it couldn’t be made of photos taken with my iPhone. I love taking pictures of the city and so this was my way of doing something with it. These are the list of photos that I’m including for the 2019 calendar. 

Below each photo is a brief commentary on what went on behind the lens, or what may have been the inspiration for each photo. Last year’s 2018 calendar (made up of pictures I took in 2017 with my Pentax) was primarily all of my favorite iconic shots of New York.

This year, instead of taking those same types of photos over again (which I am likely to do, I can’t get enough of them), I wanted to continue to push myself to take a different type of photography. I wanted to take pictures that weren’t necessarily the traditional image, but were still clearly New York.

COVER IMAGE – Downtown NYC from the Staten Island Ferry

This image perfectly represents what this calendar is for me. This is my absolute favorite view of New York and I can’t get enough of it. However, it’s zoomed in view of the downtown skyscrapers reveal much more detail, and suggest there is life going on in the streets below, made more evident by the helicopter and construction crane. The Empire State Building is also peaking through some buildings. The following images aren’t just the traditional pictures of the city, but are more of an inside look.

JANUARY – View of The Empire State Building from The High Line

Not everyone loves this picture.  My brother-in-law felt it was boring, while my cousin found it was intriguing and fascinating.  To me this shot tells a story, through the varying architecture, colors, and the family on the side railing admiring the view from above a car garage, with The Empire State Building reminding you that you’re still in New York. The High Line was one of the first places I took Rebecca when I was old enough to drive into the city on my own, and so this area of New York has a special place in my heart.

FEBRUARY – The Statue of Liberty

I stood in the crown of Lady Liberty at about 5 years old. Even though it’s not currently open to the public, this is still a powerful symbol of American freedom and opportunity that came to be a staple of New York City during the turn of the century. The black and white gives it an old feel, which I thought was really cool. This shot was taken from one of my all time favorite places to be: The Staten Island Ferry.

MARCH – Chinatown Fair Arcade

To capture more of the inside of New York, I picked some places of importance to me. We went here for my brother’s bachelor party. It had a tight corridor with a ton of games jam-packed into this tiny closet space, with gamers trying to beat their high scores in non-English versions of DDR (going so fast that it can only be pure muscle memory & memorization rather than reaction or dancing ability). This was a ton of fun and a genuine experience of life in a corner of Chinatown.

APRIL – The Empire State Building from Brooklyn

This shot was taken in the park between the Brooklyn Bridge and the Manhattan Bridge.  This is the only photo not taken in 2018 (instead in 2016).  The black and white really makes this shot timeless to me.  With the Empire State Building as the main focus, the shipping barge, and the vantage point from across the water, it looks like an old time New York photo.

MAY – Chinatown Market (Canal St. & Mulberry St.)

Around 11am in the morning I saw all these vendors begin to line the streets, and people came from all over looking to buy fruits, vegetables and other goods. They negotiated with sellers, and no one seemed to mind that I was there trying to get a snapshot. The vignette and increased clarity really add drama to this photo, but I think this still captures the moment and feel of Chinatown that morning.

JUNE – Washington Street & Battery Place Street Sign

This was taken in downtown when I met my parents for the day to hang out in the city.  With the building in the background, the image on the street sign, and even the leaves out of focus on the side, I felt this really looked like New York. I also like the idea that these images have a theme, and this image connects back to the Statue of Liberty in February.

JULY – Audrey of Mulberry, Little Italy

One of my favorite shots I’ve taken. I’ve spent some time here with some great people. We went here for my brother’s bachelor party; after eating at our favorite Asian place (located on Mulberry St. in Little Italy), we got some coffee, cannolis, and hung out for a few hours in the beautiful weather.  I found out after taking this photo that this is actually a popular image in the city.

AUGUST – Dining Table in Little Italy

Another shot in Little Italy, I loved the vibrant summer colors of this picture. To me, this represents New York as a great melting pot. It transports you to another place (probably intending it to be Italy, but for me it’s Paris as I’ve only been there between the two), but you know it’s still Manhattan. There are people standing outside every restaurant asking you to eat there instead of the next one down, and they’ll try complimenting your date if you bring one in hopes of getting you to stay at one of their tables.

SEPTEMBER – View of The Tribute In Light from Liberty State Park

I was in fourth grade when 9/11 happened. The students I pastor now weren’t even born at that time. Every year, for one day only, beams of light shine in the sky to represent the original Twin Towers and for all those who were lost on this tragic day. I’ve wanted to see these in person for years, and finally was able to in 2018. This edit has a noir type of feel to it, which I thought was appropriate for it being a night shot and for what it represents. While the picture is great, seeing the Tribute In Light in person is truly incredible.

OCTOBER – Autumn on The High Line

I originally came here trying to recapture a photo I had taken on my phone about a year earlier. Frustrated with the amount of people who kept getting in my way, I realized I needed to embrace the people and find a new shot to take (I mean, what’s a picture of New York without people in it anyway?). I love the fall colors in the trees with the backdrop of the skyscrapers. This is a perfect image of what The High Line is like in person and even though there are tons of people on it these days, I still love being there at any time of year.

NOVEMBER – Downtown at Dusk from the Staten Island Ferry

This is probably the best picture that I’ve taken in 2018. My favorite shot of New York is from the Staten Island Ferry, but what makes this one special is that it was taken at dusk. The sky still has color and the buildings are beginning to glow, contrasted with the red orange of the ferry (with the American Flag in full array).  What also makes this picture unique is the perspective of the buildings; about 5 seconds after this shot is taken, the ferry vantage point I’m standing at gets further out, and the next image becomes a straight shot looking at the buildings. This picture is a wide shot of Manhattan, while still giving you the scope of these towering skyscrapers. I seriously can’t get enough of New York from this point of view.

DECEMBER – Rockefeller Center from 50^th Street

I wanted to capture some of my favorite places without it being quite the staple image of that location. Instead of the traditional straight shot (which, by the way, I still love), this was taken from the side of the Tree. I was there on December 1^st of this year and even though it was early, there was still an insane amount of people there. I like that when you look closely you can see people at the bottom of the photo, giving you a hint of what it’s like to actually be there, yet the photo focuses on the reason why all those people are there. This picture also looked pretty spectacular in sepia / black and white, but I stuck with the color because it’s beautiful to look at and feels like you’re standing right there.

JANUARY 2020 – Umberto’s Clam House, “The Heart of Little Italy.”

Apparently, there are lots of Umberto’s around New York, but the owner of this one in particular is a long time friend of my dad’s. I’ve eaten here several times, and it also features some unique wall art on the outside (including Captain America which is right above it; his feet make it into the picture). A week or so after taking this photo, it was decked out in Christmas lights and garland. This image has some charming details to me that make it feel very Little Italy.