Category: Travels

Shining a Light

On By Fred KingIn Bridge, Brooklyn, buildings, debris, Gowanus, Gowanus Canal, iPhone 6, Landscape, New York City, Nikon D610, NYC, Park Slope, Travels, Urban DecayLeave a comment

Location: Park Slope, Brooklyn. On a bright, sunny day the park lights were one, which made for an interesting glow. In the right, from the 3rd St. bridge in Gowanus Canal about three blocks from where our son and family live, is a view of the new, luxury apartments build right on the EPA Superfund site of Gowanus Canal. I’m not sure how the developer wrangled a green light to develop on this site, but since this is NYC, I would imagine some money exchanged hands and all was good. The Canal has been designated a Superfund site since 2007 and only the week I was visiting were they starting the first pilot debris removal from one section of the canal called “the turnaround ” adjacent to the Whole Foods store that just went in a few years ago ( that’s another story). What may look like an idyllic location in this image is actually a very toxic ( heavy metals,  tar oil, etc) waterway which, on heavy rain days, raw, untreated sewage flows into. Then there is the smell, something you would never forget. On hot days the canal becomes this stagnant, heated cesspool that has an odor you would never forget. On this day it was pretty mild, but still can be shocking to non-residents walking through. I have read that the starting rents on the one bedroom apartments is $4500.00 per month!  One more dynamic to consider: during Superstorm Sandy the area flooded. The water came up over the banks of the canal and ran uphill about one block, which would put the first floor apartments at risk in the event of another big storm. You can  see some videos of Gowanus and the storm on YouTube. Very crazy.fullsizeoutput_2646

Past and Present

On By Fred KingIn Architecture, Brooklyn, buildings, clouds, iPhone 6, New York City, Park Slope, street, Thoughts, Travels1 Comment

Two iconic buildings in Brooklyn. The Brooklyn Public Library and The Old Stone House in Park Slope right across the street from where our son and family live.Both of these images were taken on my iPhone. Every Saturday there is a Farmers/Saturday Market in front of the Library and entrance to Prospect Park and Grand Army Plaza , a confluence of interesting sites to visit. The morning we were at the Market a man with a green flag ran up the steps leading to the library entrance and started waving this flag. I have no idea what it was about, but someone was videotaping his actions. ??

Morning from Brooklyn Bridge Park

On By Fred KingIn Architecture, Brooklyn, buildings, clouds, Fall, iPhone 6, Manhattan, New York City, NYC, river, sky, TravelsLeave a comment

img_2569On a very blustery morning. Walking the Brooklyn Bridge Park this morning and took this shot of Manhattan across the East River.

Both Directions

On By Fred KingIn canyon, Eastern Washington, nature, Nikon D610, Train, Travels, WashingtonLeave a comment

Rail lines run right down the Yakima River Canyon. While I was there I actually did see a freight train go by right after I took these shots. there were quite a few fly fisherman along the river this day. The ones who wade into the river use these tracks to get to their favorite spots as there is not much space to walk along the river itself in places.

PS: Just a quick note. I will be in NYC/Brooklyn visiting our son and family from the 21st to 30th. Will try to post during that time, but am not sure how strong their Wi-Fi signal is.

TBT:A Glimpse Back in Time

On By Fred KingIn 1970, 35mm, Architecture, B&W, buildings, film, San Francisco, Scanned from 35mm Print, Thoughts, Travels1 Comment

Another blogger, SunandGold, recently did  a posting from her time spent in San Francisco. Her interest and fascination with the city/culture was shared by me 45+ years ago. I promised I would post these photos from 1970 in one posting ( rather than individual posts that I did in the past) so she could get a slight inclination of what the city was like all those years ago, measured against her recent visit to the city.

If you look closely at the image of Vanessi’s you will see a woman walking alongside the building, having come down Telegraph Hill. The image below, looking up that same street, shows a lone man in a suit walking to work ( this was a morning shot). Anyway, two points:the woman is wearing a scarf. This type of dress or accessory died off or fell out of favor shortly after this time. Also, personally for me or about me, both of these images portray the individual /subject as being a small, insignificant part of the world they are captured in, in terms of composition. To this day I have continued this approach, portraying a sense of ‘aloneness’, in many street shots of people. It almost seems like an unconscious methodology or approach to people. Even in the most crowded of spaces, people find themselves isolated. The images with cars in them also help validate the point in time in which I shot these film images all those years ago.

 

I think the rest of the images are, for the most part, self explanatory. Of interest might be the image adjacent to the City Lights Bookstore. If you look at the reader board on the building you can actually read the band/musicians on the bill for that week, which in some sense helps to corroborate the time at which the image was shot. Keystone Korner was a great venue for catching current musicians such as Boz Scaggs and Bennhy Cecil and the Snakes! I think it was an over 21 club, but I could be wrong.

Thanks for going along for this short ride into the past with me!

“Meet me Where the Pavement Ends” (B&W version)

On By Fred KingIn 1990's, 35mm, B&W, Bridge, film, Golden Gate Bridge, people, San Francisco, Scanned from 35mm Print, Travels, UncategorizedLeave a comment

Version 2

A Black and White version of the previous posting. Shot in 1996 on film. Once I scanned it into a PC a few years ago, I have made some minor adjustments, cropping and contrast mostly, converting to B&W. Of the thousands of images I have shot since, this one remains in my top ten. Interestingly enough, I have shown this image in at least three shows, and it has never sold. My next door neighbor, Hanna, my wife and daughter love it though. So, all is not lost :-).