When I went over to NYC for the first time back in 2010, I was super excited. I thought I’d be forever taking shots of Times Square and the surrounding well-known landmarks. The funny thing is when i got to New York, once I sussed the city out a bit and got on the bus to head to Central Park; they head along Via Brooklyn Bridge – which is where this shot was taken, just approaching the other side of Brooklyn Bridge. That day it was absolutely baltic, and it wasn’t a hop on/hop off type, so in order to get any shots on the way, you had to be on the top deck, and just be cold. The bus was in pretty tattered condition, but you know what, that made things better (for me!, probably not others trying to get a clear image!) I have always loved the graphic design type of things, and all the scratches on the windows made a dramatic mark onto the buildings when photographed. It was a fairly dingy, dark area, very unlike Times Square and the like. It all added something to it, Even the empty seats, with the Brooklyn skyline in the distance and looking very grey, it emphasised the real grungy, cold look of it all.
Since this was taken, I recently went back over again, (February 2013) and I have produced a NYC series, check it out at on my website under new york/ongoing.
New York is certainly a city that excites your imagination and when submerged, you definitely feel the buzz of the place, whether you’re in Times Square, Greenwich Village, Battery Park or Murray Hill. There is always something happening, every area is so completely different and that is one of the reasons i think that i love going there, with a camera in tow to be producing new work because it is generally like an on the go Photography Documentary.
The two other images below are from the New York Series. All the images are black and white – though i do delve into colour too. There is something about stripping back the colour from the city that is always in colour to give it a more simplistic approach and look.
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Scottish born Photographer
http://www.sallywanless.com
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