NYC EXPOSED
Part of the "Great Cities Exposed"
Online Photo Exhibit Series

"NYC EXPOSED" Online Photography Exhibit  -  GALLERY 04

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"NYC Exposed"
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Gallery 04

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Williamsburg Bridge and the Hipsters Story...
(Connects the Brooklyn Neighborhood with Manhattan)

Photography by STAN BARANSKI
Krakow, Poland

Canon EOS Rebel XTi, Focal Length 17 mm
f/9; 1/160; ISO 800
© 2009, Stan Baranski

Although Stan Baranski calls Poland his home, his photographic eye spotted some "only in New York" opportunities during a recent trip here.  While most tourists would be busily pointing their cameras toward the steel beams above them or the cityscape sights beyond the bridge, Stan saw something far more artistic...and interesting!

The bridge itself is yet another iconic aspect of NYC because of street artists' penchant for using the bridge and surrounding areas as a canvas for their creative messages.  It wasn't always that way, though.

The bridge opened on a crisp 25 degree morning on December 19, 1903.  The overcast skies and scattered showers on that day provided a gloomy backdrop for a monumental engineering achievement.  A fine example of structural expressionism, the Williamsburg Bridge would connect the Williamsburg borough of Brooklyn with the lower east side of Manhattan.

Today, the bridge carries more than just traffic.  As Stan's picture above illustrates, the bridge has become a way of transporting ideas as well as traffic.  In this case, though, Stan captured a message that represents a fairly divisive situation.  The painted slogan, "Hispters Move Out", has something to do with the clash between newcomers and the area's long established population, much of which has maintained allegiance to traditional beliefs and ways of living.  The Satmars of Hasidic Jewish heritage are on one side of the equation, while the "Hipsters" sit on the other side. 

The Hipsters are the more recent artisan  émigrés.  Hasids vs Hipsters has become a sort of turf war of both words and intentions.  Thus, phrase "Hipsters Move Out" is more than just street art.  Regardless of how anyone feels about the situation, the picture really does capture an aspect of reality that exists in the City.

From a photographic viewpoint, Stan Baranski's photo is compelling for reasons beyond the interesting message that's stencil-painted on the street.  There's really a lot going on in this picture.  Stan demonstrates an articulate understanding of perspective.  Take a look at the proximity of Stan's lens to the road surface near the bottom part of the picture.  Getting close to the pavement along with a very short focal length (wide angle), provided for a distorted skew of the painted words.  This distortion gives the eye a reason to linger a bit and then move up toward other elements in the photograph.

The muted reflection in the wet pavement provides a rich source of 'eye candy' and the red part of that reflection brings they eye upward toward the red railings and overhead trusses.  Eye movement continues, as the rhythmic patterns of rails and trusses dance about.

As the viewer's eye follows the closing parallels toward a vanishing point, we rest at the lone figure on a bicycle.

This is exemplary photographic artwork and we are thrilled that Stan decided to submit his work to this exhibit!

 
"Essence of East Village"
(Diversity abound in this corner of Manhattan)

Photography by STAN BARANSKI
Krakow, Poland

Canon EOS Rebel XTi, focal length 24mm
f/9; 1/160; ISO 200
© 2009, Stan Baranski

Yellow Vintage Rag-Top Cadillac Muscle Car Belongs to the East Village... 

Stan Baranski knows good artwork when he sees it.  In this case, it was not so much the street "art" on the wall and garage door that he saw as a photographic opportunity.  Rather, it was the fantastic scene made whole by the vintage yellow convertible parked so appropriately in front of that street art that made it an outstanding photo op!

Stan's composition is perfect.  The car (the obvious focal point) follows classic rule-of-thirds convention, having a bit more space in front of its apparent direction than behind it.  The car also rests along the lower horizontal "thirds" dividing line - exactly where it should be.

The exposure, color and focus are beautiful.  Not too bright; not too dark; not too contrasty; not too overblown on the color saturation.  Stan avoided the temptation that so many photographers fall for, in that he did not hype the colors.  No need to here!  Stan let the melange of colors work on their own and what occurred was that the wall art remains somewhat muted and pastel, giving way and paying homage to that bright yellow car!

Manhattan's East Village is an eclectic mix of new and old.  It hosts beauty, art and grunge living in harmony.  With its proximity to NYU, it's not surprising that there's a lot to do and see here.  There are probably more bars and clubs in the East Village than in any other concentrated area of New York.  And to top it off, Stan's picture reveals a striking juxtaposition of grunge and new chic beauty.  Just take a look at the gritty street art on the old wall and garage...right next to the exquisite and refined Il Posto Accanto Italian wine bar and restaurant, one of New York City's top eateries! 

A SoHo Beacon
115 years old and Going Strong!

443-449 Broome Street, SoHo
Photography by Stan Baranski
Krakow, Poland

Canon EOS XTi, Focal Length 22 mm
f/9; 1/160; ISO 400
© 2009, Stan Baranski

SoHo's Historic District  boasts myriad beautiful old architectural specimens.  On his trip to New York City, photographer Stan Baranski found a gem of a shot on the corner of Broadway and Broome Street.  Looming like an ultra-ornate giant in the background, the Banco Di Sicilia headquarters building with its Corinthian columns, and leaf and scroll engravings near the top, is hard to miss.  The beautiful old street lamp works to balance the scene and adds a dimension to the overall balance.  As seen in the other photos above as well, Stan's photographic eye is brilliant.

The cloudy sky and dark, brooding shading, along with crisp contrast, benefits the picture by encouraging an old-school, historic feel.  Stan is not afraid to rotate his camera, as seen, also, in the first photo at the top of this page and seems to have a great sense of how this can add even more mystery to an already interesting composition!

The cast-iron district in SoHo is a feast for the eyes and this photograph makes it a feast fit for a king!


To see more of Stan's work, you can visit his photo blog at: http://stanbaranski.info/

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"Broadway and W. 54th...that familiar "New York, New York" feel!
Photography by Mattieu Alexandre,
Paris, France

Leica M6; shot on film with Kodak Tri-X 400 ISO
© 2011, Matthieu Alexandre

Matthieu Alexandre is a Paris-based photojournalist.  On a trip to the Big Apple about a decade ago, Matthieu was standing on the sidewalk near the corner of W. 54th street and Broadway, when he realized that a confluence of quintessentially American icons had occurred and he took the shot.  The phony Liberty statue (anyone remember it being there?), Coca-Cola truck, USA Today newspaper box, Big Apple and Broadway street signs...all come together to say, loud and proud, "NEW YORK CITY"!!!

The falling snow fills the air and the landscape as a reminder of the seasonal nature of NYC.  We also decided to include this image because, although most tourists are photographing the bright yellow and blue "Late Show with David Letterman" awning on the Ed Sullivan Theatre just steps down the sidewalk in the opposite direction, Matthieu found something that was far more iconic and universal.

Nice work Matthieu and congratulations on being part of this exhibit!


You can see more of Matthieu's fantastic documentary photography work at:  http://www.matthieualexandre.net/

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