New York Public Library #5

April 13th, 2006 - New York, United States

When I visited New York in April 2006 - I like to try to get there at least once a year if I can, so invigorating and exciting do I find it - I had hardly taken a photograph in six months. I wandered the streets looking for the iconic (or, failing that, the stereotypical) Big Apple shots, and though I half-heartedly took one or two snaps of a young man leaning against a wall on 5th Avenue playing the saxophone, with the Empire State Building looming in the background, I found I hadn't quite got my street photography mojo back. It had taken me a long time to get up the courage to take candid shots in public back in Geneva less than a year earlier, and not having done so for so long, I reverted to my natural discretion and self-consciousness.

Eventually I decided to give up and went into the New York public library behind Bryant Park, where, ironically, an exhibition of street photography was being shown. Once I had been round the exhibition I explored more of the magnificent building with its astonishing grandeur and gorgeous artworks. Finally, exhausted - I had walked over 120 blocks in the day - I sat down on the bench opposite the one in this picture with the intention merely of resting, only to have my photographer's instinct ignited by the arrival of a young Japanese couple.

This and the next photo of the couple in black and white may not strictly speaking be considered street photographs, but to me they represent the best I have so far achieved in the genre.

Click here to view large on black - I'm not sure it's better, but I'll leave you to decide.

Blogged on Kristo Nikkolo on January 6th, 2008 - Kristo is an Estonian, so unfortunately I don't understand a word of his post, but I owe him thanks as (I believe) my first ever blogger !!
Also blogged onThings Look Like This and Happy LOL Day on March 15th, 2008.
Blogged on Siam Intelligence on April 30th, 2008.
And blogged on Narcissique Blog on June 22nd, 2008 (Merci, Thomas!).
Blogged on Flickr Art of Color Photography on July 31st, 2008.
Blogged on SubmitYourArticle.com on September 18th, 2008.
Blogged on Beyond The Book on November 5th, 2008.
Selected as one of Yahoo Travel's Best of 2008 and featuring on the page Top 10 Destinations 2008.
Blogged on Weblogs and Wikis Daybook on February 1st, 2009.
Blogged on Prelovac on February 11th, 2009.
Blogged on Wide Open Spaces on April 6th, 2009.
Blogged on Greek Rider on May 20th, 2009.

I'm also flattered to say that this image has also been used here by MarcSanDiego to create what is known as an RL/SL (Real Life/Second Life) montage in honour of .:Galatea:., one of Flickr's leading Second Life artists - thanks to Marc for introducing me to a whole Flickr sub-culture I knew virtually nothing about !!

Finally, on May 4th, 2009, this became my first picture to reach 20,000 views. Thanks to everyone who has viewed, faved, commented on, or simply enjoyed this image !!