NY Through the Lens - New York City Photography

Early Sunday morning on Orchard Street. Lower East Side. New York City.

On cold city mornings, birds pepper the bone-white sky with movement.

And through the haze left over by clouds caught in the scuffle between autumn and winter, the wind rushes through the streets like the ghosts of yesterday’s thoughts.

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Broadway buildings in the sun. Soho, New York City.

When I was younger, I thought that the fire escapes on this part of Broadway were staircases that led right up to the sky: modern-day beanstalks for all urban Jacks (of Jack and the Beanstalk). It was as if there was a whole other city up there in the blinding sunlight only accessible to those clever enough to climb up the stairs.

I still like to imagine that this is the case.

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Doyers Street. Chinatown, New York City.

Out of the way streets tell a wealth of tales. The bright afternoon sun beats down on old decaying walls and fire escapes creating elongated shadows that seem to stretch indefinitely. If the well-worn awnings could talk, just think of the secrets they would reveal.

This particular photo is of Doyers Street, one of my favorite out of the way streets. It is a winding street that curves around and is tucked away from its hectic surroundings. The street is only about 200 feet long and runs from Pell Street to Chatham Square. It’s home to very old tenements and long-standing businesses like The Nom Wah Tea Parlor which opened in 1927.

In the early 20th century the curve in the street was known as “the Bloody Angle” because of a plethora of violent acts carried out by Chinatown gangs. The expression ‘hatchet man’ is said to have come from this era and these violent acts which often included hatchets. While the street is not bloody or violent today, it’s worth a visit to soak in the history, vibe and incredible scenery.

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I wanted to thank those who helped me out this past weekend with the Artists Wanted contest. The response warmed my heart. I used to be phobic and against contests for various reasons but I am realizing that I need to put my photography out there in different ways and I can’t let failure or fear of failure prevent me from doing that.

For those who didn’t see my post, you can still help me out by going to my contest entry page and clicking COLLECT ME

Thanks, once again. I have so many dreams that I hope can take flight with my photography and it really makes me emotional when I think of the supportive friends I have made along the way in various online communities who inspire me in so many ways.

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Buy “Wealth of Tales - Doyers Street - Chinatown - New York City” Posters and Prints here, email me, or ask for help.

Japanese Magnolia Blossoms. Spring. Stuyvesant Square, New York City.

As the steel exoskeletons that wind along city buildings bask in the glow of springtime, fresh-faced blossoms blush in the warmth of the sun tilting their heads skyward hoping for a kiss.

And the earth swoons.

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Spring definitely ‘sprung’ in New York City this past weekend. Trees are already blooming nearly a month ahead of schedule which is unusual but also beautiful to witness after what seemed like a long and rather dreary winter.

These are some of my favorite spring blooms. They are Magnolia Liliiflora also known as Japanese Magnolia. The tree is actually native to China, but was also cultivated for centuries in Japan. It was introduced to English-speaking countries from Japan and so the name of Japanese Magnolia has stuck even though the tree is not technically native to Japan.

I love how lush the blossoms are when they first open. They are quite delicate though and don’t last for very long so it’s a special and rare treat to catch them when they first bloom.

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Red fire escape illuminated by sunlight. East Village, New York City.

When the sun dips feverishly close to the horizon, there is an hour or two when even the most ordinary of scenes become extraordinary. The day’s harsh light collapses into shards of warmth and radiance and windows open their eyes wide open reflecting the sun’s last lusty overtures.

It’s during these last moments that buildings soak in the afterglow of the sun’s long lingering kiss and shadows inch closer and closer to these alluring shards of radiance hoping to bask in the sun’s sensual embrace.

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Doyers Street illuminated by the sun. Chinatown, New York City.

Out of the way streets tell a wealth of tales. The bright afternoon sun beats down on old decaying walls and fire escapes creating elongated shadows that seem to stretch indefinitely. If the well-worn awnings could talk, just think of the secrets they would reveal.

This is one of my favorite streets in Lower Manhattan. It’s Doyers Street located in Chinatown. I have always considered it more of an alley. It’s a peculiar street that winds and curves around tucking itself away from the rest of Chinatown. At only around 200 feet long, Doyers Street runs from Pell Street to Chatham Square. It’s home to very old tenements and long-standing businesses like The Nom Wah Tea Parlor which opened in 1927.

In the early 20th century the curve in the street was known as “the Bloody Angle” because of a plethora of violent acts carried out by Chinatown gangs. The expression ‘hatchet man’ is said to have come from this era and these violent acts which often included hatchets. While the street is not bloody or violent today, it’s been used in a variety of films and is definitely worth a visit.

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Buy “Doyers Street - Chinatown - New York City” Prints and Posters here, View my store, email me, or ask for help.

Urban decay. Chinatown, New York City.

New York City changes and evolves at a rapid pace. In certain areas, changes occur faster than others. Lower Manhattan is one place that has changed the most in the last decade. Development happens fast and the current trends are extremely tall buildings constructed mostly of glass, chain stores and luxury boutiques. In neighborhoods that were once bohemian and home to artists and rebels, these current changes have been hard to swallow for long-time residents who run the risk of being out-priced out of the neighborhoods they have called home for decades.

Despite these changes, there are still parts of lower Manhattan that recall earlier decades. New York City suffered economically in the 1970s and it was during this decade that much of lower Manhattan was transformed into a danger zone full of abandoned lots and buildings and rampant crime. Having grown up in New York City in the 1980s and early 1990s, I have vivid memories of riding graffiti-covered trains from Queens into Manhattan. I was taught to ‘watch my back’ at all times since everyone seemed to know someone who had been mugged. Things were still different in those days prior to the initiatives by mayors Koch and Guiliani to ‘clean up’ the city (and discourse is still rampant regarding how they handled it).

When I came across this section of Canal Street while walking home from getting groceries a few months back, my heart almost leaped out of my chest. Here I was staring at a section of a spot in Chinatown that seemed as if it had been dipped in 1980s New York City and had become frozen in time (thankfully I had my camera). It’s hard to put into words how powerful this scene is for personally. It’s a bit like staring at something that once existed in a distant life.

A city may change rapidly discarding pieces of itself, but it’s the people who carry it’s broken pieces with them in their hearts who imbue the city with its memory.

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Love me - street art writing. Chinatown, New York City.

Little surprises like hot pink incantations nestled in among brightly colored tenements enchant the urban environment with a whimsical quality. These fleeting incantations stand out as thoughts breaking their way through the immense density of structures let loose if only for a brief amount of time.

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Skybridge and fire escapes. Tribeca, New York City.

Parts of the city entwine itself around my thoughts nestling deep into my memory making visual imprints I can’t ignore. It’s this scenery that makes me fall in love with this city over and over again. I fall in love with different streets furiously and often. Each one charms me in a completely different way. It’s in the way the light falls on fire escapes, the windows that cast a warm glow onto the street, the architecture that holds the ghosts of decades past deeply in its arms.

A very visceral reaction occurs when I come across scenery that moves me. It’s an emotional feeling which I can only compare to the feeling of listening to music that inspires me. I have been a musician since I was four years old. Music was my first passion. I would frequently lose myself in hours of piano playing; time froze in those moments. The world spun around me in a dizzying circle while I remained perfectly still. It’s the same feeling I get when I listen to certain music: an overwhelming sense that my heart could leap out of my chest at any minute.

I get this same exact feeling with photography. I wouldn’t trade it for anything.

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Doyers Street. Chinatown, New York City.

Out of the way streets tell a wealth of tales. The bright afternoon sun beats down on old decaying walls and fire escapes creating elongated shadows that seem to stretch indefinitely. If the well-worn awnings could talk, just think of the secrets they would reveal.

This particular photo is of Doyers Street, one of my favorite out of the way streets. It is a winding street that curves around and is tucked away from its hectic surroundings. The street is only about 200 feet long and runs from Pell Street to Chatham Square. It’s home to very old tenements and long-standing businesses like The Nom Wah Tea Parlor which opened in 1927.

In the early 20th century the curve in the street was known as “the Bloody Angle” because of a plethora of violent acts carried out by Chinatown gangs. The expression ‘hatchet man’ is said to have come from this era and these violent acts which often included hatchets. While the street is not bloody or violent today, it’s worth a visit to soak in the history, vibe and incredible scenery.

—-

View this photo larger and on black on my Google Plus page

—-

Buy “Wealth of Tales - Doyers Street - Chinatown - New York City” Posters and Prints here, email me, or ask for help.

“Love Me” written on a wall near a roof top. Chinatown, New York City.

Buy “Love Me” Posters and Prints here, email me, or ask me for help.

Alphabet City. East Village, Manhattan.

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