February 9, 2006

Photographs I did not Take Today

8:30, Borough Hall Subway Station
A toddler with a spiderman costume visible under his winter coat hopping up and down as his mother, oblivous reads the newspaper.

9:45 72nd and 5th
My elderly doctor standing inside a tiny lead nook and peering out of a small window as he x-rayed me.

10:15 The Frick
A group of uniformed schoolgirls on their tiptoes straining to see Girl Interupted at her Music, one of my favorite Vermeers. One girl in the group, uninterested and staring out the window.

1:20 Cadman Plaza Post Office
My son cracking up with my wife across the hall as I wait at the passport window. Everybody else in the room grey and deadpan.

2:40 In front of the State Supreme Court
A very old man with coal black skin holding a small red paper valentine to his chest against the breeze.

3:20 Atlantic Avenue
A woman walking out of a dry cleaners holding 2 translucent bags of clothing up near her shoulders. Her shadow like an angel with gossamer wings flying behind her.

6:20 Somewhere in Cobble Hill
Boys playing baseball in the cold evening on a quiet street. The sun has set, the streetlights are not on, the sky is turning deep blue. They are shadows. I only see the ball.

10:30 Deli on Atlantic
Two Pakistani guys play rock sissors paper behind the counter.

posted at 10:45 PM by raul

Comments:

02/10/06 11:27 AM

I like your photos and I like the images you see in your head. We read your blog first thing every morning.

02/13/06 03:00 AM

When I first moved to LA I hated it there and the pictures I took were a reflection of that. They were images of LA's ugliness and shallowness. But eventually LA grew on me and now I miss it and often think of projects I wish I had undertaken when I was there.

I don't think shooting in LA is easier or harder than New York or anywhere else, it's about having a feeling for the place and a point of view about it. Ultimately it depends on the type of images you want to make...

02/26/06 01:53 AM

Raul -

Man, sometimes synaptic unlocks come in big aha moments and other times they come in small whispers - which is what your blog did tonight as I read "Photographs I did not Take Today." I didn't even need to read the descriptions to know exactly what the post was going to be like. I describe scenes to people all of the time but never thought of capturing my days as simple word pictures. Unlock. Very, very cool. Thanks for the inspiring whisper - reminding me that there's always a new way to look at everything around us.

peace, michael

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