February 10, 2006

New York


Hello all, and welcome back.


I've returned from my trip, obviously, and it's taken me a bit to get to the computer. I have no web access at home these days, and things in the working world have been... busy. Funnily, the workaday world of my life here at home feels much more bustling than the small beginnings of a life I left behind in the Big Apple, and the moderately smaller pear, Boston. I guess that's the difference between a vacation and regular life.


I ended up experiencing a good number of things, extending myself beyond the big galleries and typical tourist hangouts to the places beneath bridges, in basements and in the shells of old theatres. I was frustrated and lost and awed and pushed around a bit, but was alternately comfortable and at home and very very welcome in many places. I had some very fancy meals and frequented the Met and Soho's boutiques, but at times also rooted through trash heaps and wandered through destitute streets in Harlem and Brooklyn. I met a good number of people whom I hung out with on a number of occasions, and even, in the end, found regular places to hang out. My stay was complicated, I guess, and it seemed like the longer I stayed, the more complex and subtle and complicated it got--it was good in other words, and became, the longer I stayed, more like I lived there and less like I was visiting.


But how can a person sum up their thoughts and experiences for a month and a half into anything specific and concise--especially since my goal was to actually see it all--or at least as much as I could. Well in the end I filled up two + sketchbooks, recorded a couple hours of audio (? yes, it's true!), filled my bags with books and ephemera, and took around 950 photographs.

As a start, I guess, here are 23:
I wonder if they describe something of the interesting and exciting time I had in NYC--let me know if they do!























all taken with a clunky hunka Pentax k1000 and various slide films, mostly Fuji Superia? 100 and 400, and old old kodak 1600 stock from my friend John at SpectraPhoto, East 44th & Lex.


Also:
To those who've been checking this blog everyday, thanks--I'm grateful. Finally there's something to see and more to come.

11 comments:

  1. A great documentation of your trip...those pictures are cool. And 2 sketchbooks!! Can't wait to see that too.
    Never been to NY but I think it would be worth a visit...

    a

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  2. that subway photo is awesome!
    let's see some drawings!

    -pb

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  3. Looks you had a blast man. Awesome photos.

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  4. I've been to New York, not nearly as long as you were, but I adore the city. So great to see some photos!

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  5. great photos!! Welcome back!

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  6. Hellloooo everyone--
    thanks for coming by!

    I'll be scanning some more stuff in soon, so please check back!

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  7. Wonderful photos Nick.
    It's good to have you back.
    Thanks for sharing your sights and thoughts.

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  8. very nice interesting pictures! I love New York, I feel so inspired when I go there.

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  9. Thanks guys!

    I'm just glad any of my photos came out; I never really expect them too. And they're a lot more formal than I'd ever expect too.

    I sort of wanted to take a pic, like, every 10 feet or something, but you can't really do that. And I also learned the hard way, that people don't really like getting their photos taken sneakily; I'll have to work on my reportage.

    But yes, New York is very much worth a visit--or a lifetime; whichever you can swing, I guess.

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  10. These are great! Wish I could be there.

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  11. Beauitful. You have an amazing eye.

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