Dream Tomorrow, Live Today, Cherish Yesterday

Illusion Gallery

Leica M9, 28mm F/2.8, f/4, 6 secs, iso 160

I made this image in NYC's Central Library. Fun day!

And they didn't even say....

Leica M9

And they didn't even say.. "Happy Birthday!" Last year on my birthday (Nov 19) I walked the streets of NYC on my own. Nearly 10 miles. I didn't notice this pair until a few seconds before this exposure. No time to focus. But no matter, I don't believe every street photograph needs perfect focus. It's about the moment, the feel, the mood.

They truly looked like they were important people with important places to go. I just wonder why they didn't know it was my birthday?

 

9/11 Series - Day Seven

Leica M9

Last day of this series. This is the opening in the middle of one of the pools. Like I said in a prior post, when viewing from street level, you cannot see the bottom. The pools and waterfalls are meant to symbolize the loss of life and the physical void because of the attacks.

For me, the feeling was a bit different. The water falling, and falling again represent lives to me. These victims died and fell into the rubble, right on these sites. I'm a "water person" and I see water is life giving. So this water, flowing endlessly, to me represents the circle of life. We are born, we die, maybe we are born again, who really knows? But just like I am fascinated by ocean waves crashing on shore, the relentless and absolute nature of them, I believe these pools captured the same essence.

I also came away with a feeling of being awestruck by New Yorkers and their resilience. There has never been destruction like this on US soil. I can't even imagine the process of removing all the rubble. But in 2012 (i.e. when I went there), you have this glorious memorial, new buildings going up. They are a tough group.

I hope you have enjoyed this series and if so perhaps you could leave a comment about whether I succeeded in giving you a glimpse of the memorial and how it affected me.

9/11 Series - Day Six

Leica M9

These are the largest man made waterfalls in the USA. Even the way the spill the water over is beautiful. The designers and builders of this memorial seemed to have thought of everything, every last detail.

9/11 Series - Day Five

Leica M9

In the background is the new building, the Freedom Tower, although it isn't going to use that name, but rather One World Trade Center. It's very large, and dominates the Manhattan skyline. But as you look at it from either of the pools, it feels like the pool dwarfs the skyscraper.

You'll note that darker square area of the building is a 187' tall giant block of concrete.

The view down from the building of the memorial site must really be something to see.

9/11 Series - Day Four

Leica M9

This really is "the big picture" to try to capture the enormity of the memorial's pools. Each pool is completely ringed with these "name panels." The effect is something like the Vietnam Memorial Wall, where you are taken aback by the number of names. But this is different in that these people died right here (except of course the victims of Flight's 93 and 77).

Over 5,000 designs were submitted for the memorial. The chosen one was by an American arhitect named Michael Arad.

9/11 Series - Day Two

Leica M9

In this image you see the water doesn't fall straight down a wall, there is a level at about waist height. 26,000 gallons of water per minute cascade down each pool's walls. The sound of the water masks nearly all other sounds of the city, which was part of the intent.

9/11 Series - Day One

Leica M9

I visited NYC last Fall, and my wife and I toured the World Trade Center Memorial. I was particularly interested in seeing it because going to the top of the WTC is one of my strongest memories from visiting NYC 30+ years ago.

I was incredibly moved by this memorial. Moreso than any other I have seen. It was much, much more than I had imagined. In this series, I hope to relay what I saw and what I felt.

The site contains two of these huge pools, which are the actual sites of the twin towers. The actual footprints of the buildings!

In the middle-bottom of this image, you see a reflection of a building, that is the new Freedom Tower which was nearly complete (at least the exterior) when I was there.

As you can see, the scale is enormous. Water cascades down from each wall, into the pool, and then into a secondary opening. You cannot see the bottom of this opening.

More to come...

Dinner at the Odeon

Leica M9

Ah, the Odeon in NYC. A landmark! And deservedly so. Was doing some nighttime long exposures while waiting for my wife and friends to arrive.

Topaz Tuesday - Architectural Abstract

Leica M9

Another interesting scene I saw while walking the streets of NYC. After seeing this on my monitor, I felt it would make a good B&W, so into Topaz B&W Effects we go!

Just a few simple adjustments with the sliders and I had the kind of edgy B&W I am looking for. I think the B&W version draws me into the image more than the color version. See for yourself, the original is on the Continue link.