Morning Clouds and More On the East River

I spent another early morning out on the East River today. The clouds were billowing up and down the skyline in all shapes, shades and patterns. Some grew straight up.  Some lay flat.  Others dotted the glow of morning against a background of gray. Altogether, it was a beautiful way to start the day on a river that gets a lot of flack for it’s “lack of beauty.”  Well, maybe these photos (and those from other posts) will help people come to check out the waterway and care for it.

And I had to find some way to make the ConEdison building look kind of quasi ok-ish. In doing so I found that graffiti really pops in the morning light.

There were some lone birds nibbling on whatever scraps they could find.  Then, they gather for flight. It reminded me of Henry Beston’s classic nature memoir, The Outermost House, where he says this of the birds on Cape Cod, “Birds which have been feeding yards away from each other, each one individually busy for his individual body’s sake, suddenly fuse into this new volition and, flying, rise as one, coast as one, tilt their dozen bodies as one, and as one wheel off on the course which the new group will has determined.”

Make Way For Goslings (NYC style)

I had followed these geese up and down the river for about twenty minutes.  They were moving in a tight pack. (Do geese travel in packs when they’re not flying? Ok, flock.)  I was the “one man wolf pack” looking like a crazy person who gets angry when geese don’t do what he wants.  Finally, they spread out in a line and it was a beautiful sight. All in a row, it added some serenity to the evening.

Also, just after I took this shot, Julian, yesterday’s blog post, came up to me. All in all another fun evening of shooting and taking in all that I could spy in this great city.

This is Julian – A Chance New York Encounter

When Julian rolled up on his bike I really didn’t know what to expect. I was taking photos along the East River of the sunset and a few geese splashing around below. My usual spot. All of the sudden this guy came up close and asked me if I could help him out.  He looked straight out of a hip hop video, complete with a gold grill on his lower teeth. The look is authentic and completely fitting.  Julian is a musician trying to make in it New York.

To listen to a sampling of his music (hip hop and electro) check out his myspace page here. Let the first song play through. He’s got a line in there, “They call me odd, but I’ll get even.” that I think is pretty cool.

Oh, and the way I helped him out?  He needed a photo taken of himself. We traded emails and here it is. He’s a cool guy and I hope his music career takes off.

Friends in New York City

New York is a playground of activity. If you have the cash, or even if you don’t, you can always find about a thousand things to do each night.  But most times, the best times, are spent with friends in quiet moments.  Just being.  Taking it all in.  And capturing the moment in a photograph.

The Faces of the East River

So I’ve been on a little bit of an East River kick.  I walk over at sunrise.  I swing by on my bike after work, when the sun has set.  Did you know it was once known as the Sound River?  Gives it a pretty different feel, right?  Timing does the same thing.  Mid day, it’s an industrial highway, with ferries and barges crisscrossing all 16 miles. But in the morning and evening one can find magic in the water and light.  

Here’s the raw shot without any post processing. (Taken at 20th street, the same spot as yesterday’s blog photo. You’ll see what I mean about different feel. )

But then there is sunrise, my favorite time to be on the river.

As the sun rises, it casts a million different hues on the water. Each minute a different sensation.

I’m not the only one here.  Near Chinatown and the Manhattan Bridge, women do Tai Chi to wake up, find center in a chaotic place, and celebrate the day ahead. All is at peace.

Still, life stirs.  Commuters drive and take public transportation across bridges firmly rooted in the deepest depths of the river.

This is the destination.

Manhattan.  Brooklyn. Queens.  And although the boroughs are nothing but steel and cement, they wouldn’t be the same without…

The East River.

To be a kid in New York City

Morning on the East River

With the sun rising at 7:20 this morning I thought it might be a good chance to get out without completely depriving myself of sleep. The sunrise was absolutely perfect. Purple-ish to pink and eventually a golden orange glow. Alas, my favorite shot of the morning has nothing to do with it!

(This gum shot is available for purchase on my Etsy site.)