Showing posts with label New York. Show all posts
Showing posts with label New York. Show all posts

Wednesday, 5 November 2008

Almost Witnessing History


I flew home from New York yeaterday, a day too soon to witness one of the greatest days in US history, the election of Barack Obama as President. The feeling the day before the Election, in New York at least, was one of huge anticipation. I felt the urge to wear an Obama button, and I often had to stop and shake hands with other supporters, mostly black guys who seemed impressed to see a puny white man wearing the badge of the man who embodied their hopes and dreams. Most white people I met and spoke to were Obama supporters too (the one or two who weren't were good natured enough to laugh about it) but I think it's important to stress that the excitement was not just about his colour - he is a truly inspirational speaker and an intelligent and thoughtful human being. Unlike his predecessor.


I should warn you now that I will probably go on about New York for some time - I'll be trying hard not to be a travel bore around my friends, and this blog will allow me the space. I also took hundreds of photographs and will be working through the love landscape images over the coming days and weeks...


The picture above is unusual for me as it includes a self portrait - or a lapel, at least. It seemed relevent here, and there, as I was wearing the Obama button. This was on the Brooklyn Bridge, a place where there were so many hearts I was running short of parts of the bridge and views of the bridge to shoot to place alongside them. So I thought 'what shows the place and time that is relevent to here and now', and the Obama button was it. It was taken in an instant, and I liked the random composition, so here it is... the relevence of the word Jesus in the heart is entirely unrelated to the man Obama, though, I'm sure.

Wednesday, 22 October 2008

Marilyn Monroe, Love Hearts & Guerrilla Advertising

A week today and I jet off to New York. I'm only there briefly, but I plan to use my time to take as many photographs as my camera can manage, as well as seeing everything, doing everything, eating everything (vegan) and supporting my good friend Rachel in her bid to run the marathon in under four hours... I'm sure she'll manage as long as I run alongside, shouting supportive things as I munch on a vegan burger, waving an Obama flag and photographing all I can see.

I had a nightmare the other night in which I'd been there 4 days and hadn't found a single heart. I can assure you, dear reader, that will not happen! It must not happen! I will not allow it! And even if it does, I'll return with a thousand 'very New York' photographs to pick from, as I'm already planning a show of sorts. No idea what, but it'll include graffiti, skyscrapers, taxis and a hotdog seller, I'm sure.

The picture above felt a little New Yorky - it's from an alley in Bournemouth, my local metropolis, and makes me smile. I really enjoy finding witty graffiti, and I really love this type of sticker street art. It can look fantastic and it eventually rots away, so it's eco friendly too. The stencilled graffiti I find interesting, but I have some problems with it. This can be found in a few places around Bournemouth - check out the website it advertises if you like. It's an unusaul and economical way to promote yourself, but it is vandalism, just as any graffiti is. I'm happy to see graffiti in many places, but advertising.... not so sure. And isn't it inviting the local authorities to look you up and prosecute you for defacing a public space? If it isn't, you may start seeing http://www.love-landscape.co.uk spray painted around the place... though I don't think it would make me very popular.