I made these four images, converted to black and white from color files, in New York City.
1. The gesturing commuter appears to be leading the morning charge across the marble floor of Grand Central Terminal. I intensify the speed of the action by using a slow shutter speed ( 1/15th of a second) and moving the camera slowly from right to left as I made the picture. This technique is called panning – it retains detail in some of the figures, yet blurs it in others. I converted the image to black and white to give the image a less realistic, more symbolic form. The original colors in this image played no part in my message. (Panasonic G1, 45-200mm, ISO 400, 1/15th at f/4, 95mm equivalent.)
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2. Like any commute, a subway journey quickly becomes routine. This man appears to be engrossed in his reading, unaware of everything else around him, including the figure in the advertisement just above him. I converted the image to black and while because it makes it timeless, and universal. Surrounded by stainless steel, still bundled against the cold, he retreats into his book. (Panasonic G1, 45-200mm, ISO 800, 1/60th at f/4, 95mm equivalent)
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3. The Bowery was known as New York’s Skid Row, a high crime, low rent area. Since the 1990s, some of it has been gentrified, and luxury condos, art museums, and upscale stores are gradually changing its face. Yet there are still ample reminders of its grim past. I made this image outside of a Bowery mission which cares for the homeless who live in the area. The body language of these men speaks for itself. My black and white rendering does likewise. (Panasonic G1, 45-200mm, ISO 100, 1/500th at f/5, 262mm equivalent)
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4. People reveal their personalities when talking on the phone. Even though we can’t hear what this man is saying, he seems to be saying it with a great deal of authority. He tucks his papers in close to his body, and holds the phone to his ear with an oversized hand. Assertiveness is common coin in New York City – he fits this place well. The original colors of the background wall and foreground plantings competed with the point I was trying to make, so I solved the problem by converting the image to black and white. (Panasonic G1, 45-200mm, ISO 400, 1/80th at f/4.7, 103mm equivalent.)
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