The Black and White Project: Days 301-302: January 25, 2012 - January 26, 2012
Recently, I came across a series of photos taken in Brooklyn during the summer of 1974 and of New York in the very early 80s, and the photos show a New York that’s both familiar and alien, all while possessing a stark, almost post apocalyptic beauty. You couldn’t help but think that if civilization were to collapse that it would look a lot like some of the scenery the photographers came across. As I’m quickly approaching the end of my project in another 185 days, I find myself getting a bit philosophical — especially in light of the photos I had seen. Certainly, with the photos of kids playing or mugging for the camera, and of every day people, I see a bit of myself in them, viewing them with a greater sense of gravity, dignity, tenderness and awe. And naturally, I wonder if someone were to stumble upon these photos of New York and of random New Yorkers in 2011-2012 in the year 2057, will those New Yorkers look at us with the same kind of reverence? Would they see their foibles and their own fragility in us? Would they try to superimpose their own familiar New York on to our New York, and still look on in disbelief and wonder?
Looking south on 34th Street and 8th Avenue with Madison Square Garden in the background. As you can kind of see, the Garden is in the middle of some rather extensive (and expensive) renovations.
With the New York Giants in Super Bowl 46, almost everyone in town has gone out of their way to show support with the boys. Honestly, can you get any bigger than a display in Times Square?
Times Square Alliance maintenance men taking a break in their duties to gossip, talk trash and complain. The older man on the right hand side was doing most of the talking while the younger guy on the headphones didn’t seemed too inclined to want to listen.
Two human billboards on the corner of West 46th Street and 7th Avenue share a laugh while trying to entice people to their respective businesses. Even in this brief and very human moment, being a human billboard is a pretty terrible job. They’re usually out there in rain, shine, bitter cold and extreme heat with those signs, attempting to entice business to their employers.
This young woman — we’ll call her Scarlett — was handing out flyers with discount information on tickets for the Broadway musical, Chicago. Her warm, enthusiastic smile conveyed an uncommon friendliness and charm, and it immediately caught my attention, even in the middle of a busy New York street.
For these photos and the rest of the photos of the project up to date, check out the Flickr set here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/yankee32879/sets/72157626259696549/
