Street Photography: Times Square

If a door is open, I’m inclined to take a peek. If the door is not open, then I’m inclined to wonder what lies behind it. When the National Park Service commissions me to create artistic photographic collections of their historic houses, that’s part of the charm. All the doors are opened for me and I get to see what the public only gets to view from behind a stanchion. In many cases, I get to enter areas that are normally closed.

That curiosity extends to the street as well. I often walk by newsstands. They are exuberant displays of all manner of candy, glossy magazines, and even soft drinks. I have photographed them many times. Sometimes the shot is about the color. Sometimes it’s about the fellow cooped up inside who spends hours on his feet to endure heat waves, torrential rain, and freezing temperatures. So what’s it like to be inside?

The side door was open. Why, I don’t know. Maybe it was to catch a breeze. Or maybe it was for me to catch a glimpse through my viewfinder.

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Street Photography: Inspirations

There was something about the photograph in yesterday’s post (see below) that stirred up recollections of other images.

© 2019 Xiomaro.com

Luke Delalio, a long time friend who is talented in photography and many other artistic disciplines, mused that the photograph reminded him of an image by Alfred Stieglitz.

He was close. The photograph he was thinking about was Wall Street by Paul Strand, a Stieglitz protege (see below).

Luke’s reaction to yesterday’s photograph got me thinking too. There was something about it that seemed familiar, but it wasn’t the Strand photograph. I knew Strand’s image well and it was a favorite. But I can’t say I was consciously influenced by it. Perhaps I was unconsciously. Or maybe it’s just that there are certain phenomena that many photographers find appealing as a subject for an image.

After thinking about it some more, I only needed to look up at my office wall to see the large framed print of the photograph appearing at the top of this post. It was taken at a subway station on 7th Avenue, not far from Times Square.

The shapes, the angular lines, the stark black and white, and the lone shadowy figure could have been part of the series of images I made recently. Except that the photograph was created in 2015. It’s interesting how the subject matter that appeals to the unconscious mind becomes revealed over time in photographs.

Then I remembered another part of the genealogy. In 2015, I saw the photograph below created by Sapna Dhandh-Sharma, a good friend who is the Editor of the UK-based photography magazine, Aspect Ratio.

I loved the image as soon as I saw it and it was not long after that I unconsciously created my own take of it on 7th Avenue.

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Portrait of a Father

His son Joaquin, was murdered last year. On Valentine’s Day. Only 17 years old.

So, too, was another student.

And another.

And another.

And another…

17 students and staff members in total, all at one time.

It took 9 minutes for Joaquin Oliver and Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School to became part of a dark history. On that warm and sunny Florida day, a lone man with a semi-automatic rifle perpetrated the deadliest high school shooting in the United States. The killing spree surpassed even the Columbine High School massacre.

I was invited by Horace Panter to see his seminal band, The Specials, perform at Brooklyn Steel. Since the late 1970s, they have been steadfast proponents of their innovative blending of ska’s pogoing groove and punk rock’s edginess with lyrics that are politically and socially conscious.

At around the middle of the show, Manuel Oliver – Joaquin’s father – was introduced. His no-nonsense drive to bring public attention to the gun violence issue, his intensity in seeking justice against the killer, the emotional trauma of losing his son was all embodied in the message he delivered. It was as big and muscular as he was physically.

Manuel’s nonprofit, ChangeTheRef.org, seeks to expose the disastrous effects of the mass shooting pandemic by empowering youth – through education, conversation, and activism – to use urban art and nonviolent creative confrontation.

Manuel did not mention the tragedy at Parkland. But he spoke of losing trust in our leaders to protect us from gun violence. For change to happen, the trust must be invested in the public, of which 1,800 were in the audience.

As if to prove his point, he concluded his impassioned entreaty by stage diving into the supporting arms of the crowd.

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Photographs Illustrating New Book About Weir Farm on Exhibit at Mark Twain Library

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To celebrate the new book, Weir Farm National Historic Site (Arcadia Publishing), a select number of the photographs showcasing the park are on view now until July 31, 2019 at the Mark Twain Library in Redding.

The photographs were created by the book’s author, Xiomaro, who is the Visiting Artist at Weir Farm and an alumnus of its Artist-in-Residence program.  The book tells the story of Julian Alden Weir (1852–1919), a leading innovator of American Impressionist painting, and chronicles his farm’s rescue from residential development to its establishment as a park.  The farm’s landscape inspired countless masterpieces created by Weir, his famous painter-friends, two subsequent generations of artist-owners, and contemporary artists who continue to create at the park.  The book’s historical narrative unfolds with well over 100 photographs, most of which were created by Xiomaro under commissions from the National Park Service.

The foreword was written by Senator Joe Lieberman who introduced legislation in 1990 to establish Weir Farm, located in Wilton and Ridgefield, as Connecticut’s first national park.  Weir Farm is also the only one in the nation dedicated to painting.  In 2020, the park will be depicted as part of the US Mint’s America the Beautiful series.  The Mint’s website says the series “captures the breathtaking beauty of America’s natural landscapes that have inspired countless poets, adventurers, and artists.  Today, these hallowed sites are… enshrined” through the quarters designed by the Mint.

The large photographic prints, measuring 17″ x 25,” offer immersive and detailed views of Weir’s studio, his brushes, his home, and the landscape.  The photographs have been widely circulated throughout Connecticut at venues such as the Capitol building in Hartford, the Bridgeport office of Congressman Jim Himes, and the Stamford Mayor’s office.

Xiomaro (pronounced “SEE-oh-MAH-ro”) is an internationally recognized artist and speaker whose photography has been covered by The New York Times, CBS Eyewitness News, and News 12.  His work has been exhibited at Harvard University, museums, galleries, and public spaces.

The book was released internationally by Arcadia Publishing as part of its Images of Modern America series, which the company website describes as uncovering “amazing aspects of American history that are all too often overlooked by standard texts” and “filled with expertly penned content and stunning full-color images.”  Arcadia, based in Charleston, South Carolina, is the leading publisher of local and regional books in the United States with a library of more than 14,000 titles.

The Mark Twain Library was founded in 1908 by the most popular American author of the time, Samuel Clemens – best known as Mark Twain – who lived in Redding.

The Mark Twain Library is located at 439 Redding Road, Redding, CT 06896 and the exhibition runs until July 31, 2019.  For more information and a free Weir Farm print, visit www.xiomaro.com.

 

 

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Street Photography: The Drama of Light

© 2019 Xiomaro.com

There are many elements that come together to create a composition. One of those elements is light and, sometimes, it is enough on its own to take center stage.

I was walking down 51st Street toward 7th Avenue in New York City when this shaft of late afternoon light transformed an unremarkable side street into a cinematic photo op.

That vista alone was enough to create a dramatic photograph. But I decided to wait to see who might walk through it to add some interest to the image. I was able to time my shot just as this lady walked into the center.

Her presence conferred the image with the mysterious quality I was seeking — the rim of light outlining her head, shoulders, and arms like an extended halo; the hints of color in her otherwise silhouetted figure; the intriguing shadow cast by her motion frozen like a ballerina on pointe.

If you can ignore that it’s a photograph of a moment in reality, you can also view the image as an abstract piece. The angular shapes of light and dark frame the contrasting fractal patterns of the green leaves and their shadows.

These are the kinds of fleeting moments I want to encourage my fellow photographers to look out for when I next present one of my workshops. Email me if you want to be notified of my next one.

 

 

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Street Photography: The High Line

© 2019 Xiomaro.com

I love encountering what I like to call “free Photoshop” opportunities. By shifting my position, I found a variety of interesting distortions of the building behind me. It was as if I was changing software settings in a live public space.

Further, the colors, geometric shapes, and the lettering reminded me of a Frank Lloyd Wright design.

It’s pleasing to create a realist-based abstraction just by keeping a critical eye out for offbeat views. It’s especially fun when it’s shot in a touristy area like the High Line where photographers gravitate toward snapping away at the familiar.

If you’re interested in architectural photography, email me and I will let you know when I have a New York City street photography workshop scheduled.

 

 

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The Art of Phoneography | Photos from the May 26, 2019 Workshop at Weir Farm National Historic Site, Wilton, CT

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Photo by Mike

I began these workshops at Weir Farm last year and they very well received.  Beginner’s luck?  This time around, I did not do any media promotions.  So I was pleased that the workshop filled faster than ever.  Again, there were attendees that traveled a long way.

One of the things that I found particularly gratifying was the level of development, especially among those who had attended before.  I could definitely see a more artistic approach to their smartphone photography.  The images had interesting perspectives and their compositions were clearly based on one or more of the artistic principles I teach in the workshop.  It was evident that some thought and care was employed in creating their vision.  Attendees felt confident about experimenting and taking chances.  Indeed, they were no longer taking snapshots.  These were making photographs.

Although I am not permitted to sell at a National Park Service event, there was keen interest in my book Weir Farm National Historic Site (Arcadia Publishing) as well as in my smaller books.  The Art of Phoneography:  Book One was a popular purchase at my Mark Twain Library workshop.  In it, I explain how to apply the techniques of dodging and burning, creative cropping and conversion to an artistic black and white finish using any iPhone or Android smartphone.  The booklet is available here.  Attendees also liked the idea of a private street photography workshop in New York City.  Plans are underway and I will announce that workshop as soon as it is ready.

In the meantime, give these photographs a studied look.  Please click “Like,” post a comment or question, and share the link to this blog on social media — you’ll see these option at the bottom of this post.  Also please stay in touch with me.  You can subscribe to this blog at the Sign Me Up link.
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