Monday, April 13, 2009

Awakening


As I've grown more interested in graffiti and street art, I've wondered whether my eye for photography is changing. I’m now so attentive to every little scribble that I often think I might be missing the shadows, shapes and streetscapes that interested me in earlier years. Certainly in terms of sheer volume the graffiti photos have taken over.

But yesterday I was reminded that I just need the right kind of day to see again. After an Easter brunch with some friends, I went for a walk in Tribeca, and the light was so beautiful -- clear and brilliant, casting perfect shadows and bathing everything in the sublime. The light in winter can be beautiful too, thin and white, but this was good solid warm sunshine. (Even though the day was surprisingly windy and cold!)

If Easter, like the spring pagan rituals that preceded it, represents an awakening, then it’s appropriate that I had these feelings yesterday. With the pear trees blooming in brilliant white clouds and the sky a hard blue, I did feel newly awake!

(Photo: E. 29th Street, yesterday, before I even got to Tribeca.)

6 comments:

Barbara said...

A dizzyingly beautiful shot. I almost feel suspended as I try to put the photo in perspective. I always like a picture that makes your brain work to understand and process it!

I have no doubt that you can strike a balance between shadows and graffiti!

Reya Mellicker said...

What a beautiful pic. It seems right in so many ways that you're looking up into the wild blue yonder. Bravo!

mouse (aka kimy) said...

wonderful shot and loverly post! although most of our trees are still bare, there are some flowering trees awakening. it is interesting to see what our eye is interested in a various times in our lives......

Merle Sneed said...

I think Spring is exactly that and people have long celebrated it. You have a great eye no matter the subject.

lettuce said...

its interesting how the things we photograph change and develop

but i'm sure you'll never stop seeing the light and shadows steve, at least when the weather is so right

lovely picture. We've been having some beautiful light and days like that here too.

Wendy said...

Wow, I love the perspective, but what I like even better is the push-pull between the side of nature and the opposite side with the hard lines of metal and brick. Nice!