Summer Storm

In the warmth of the early summer, I have been noticing things that are so hard to photograph; the music of songbirds or the smell of freshly cut grass. It is strange to even think of such things in New York which is so much concrete and smog. Still, I seem to hear songbirds in the strangest places. There will be a lull in the traffic and I will hear a song.

Summer storms have a little of everything, the visuals along with the sound and the smell. There is the dramatic build-up. It is usually hot, thunder rumbles in the distance, the light becomes dramatic. Right before the storm breaks, there always seems to be some biker desperate to beat the storm or an ambulance rushing through the traffic, so much tension. And then it hits and the rain smell rises up from the street. The light turns silver and the sound of rain falling takes over everything.

(click for bigger)

Solstice Light

The days have been stretching out longer and the light has been beautiful. I am always trying to do the summer solstice light justice with my pictures.

There was brilliant morning light when I came across this bundle of construction materials.


I couldn't figure out why this stuff was just plunked in the middle of Crosby street. It made pretty swirling shapes, though so I didn't dwell on it.


There was even a little grass in the netting.


When I stepped away, I realized it was some sort of protest piece, albeit a slightly frumpy one



The word 'peace' is written on the bottom left and there are peace signs painted on the blue netting. Maybe it was originally spread out like some kind of barricade only to be rolled up by an irate counterprotester.

I went back to Cortlandt Alley where it is always dark. The light was here if only by reflection and the chemicals used to remove the graffitti left black shadows of the former tags.


I love the small triangular vents, they look like models of houses glued to the wall.


My favorite time of solstice light is the evening when the sun graces my north facing windows. It is such a joy to see, but it doesn't last long. This time I was ready with a little of the moss I had gathered before. It has not died, but it hasn't prospered either. Nevertheless, little bits of the moss are hanging on intrepidly and they looked lovely in that brief moment of the north face sunset.

Parcours

Some more parcours pictures...

Parcours

I was working with just two traceurs on this last round of photos. It gave me a chance to consider what I want to show in these images. The picture above has a tension that I like as well as some implied motion.

I am less excited by these more classic images, although I like the three of them together.

And I am trying to decide how much blur I can get away with.

I really like the shadow falling below the jumping traceur, but I am worried that nothing is in focus. I like to have one relatively sharp spot in the image.

This one is a little sharper but seems more conventional. It doesn't seem so obvious with these pretty little images on line. The blur on the black and white prints is more apparent.

I will print more images from this day when I have printed them.