Tag Archives: chelsea

Photo of the Day: “The Lightness of Being”

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“The Lightness of Being” – Tracey Capone Photography © 2012

“The camera captures light, our minds capture images.” – Anonymous

One of the things I always tell budding photographers is that photography is playing with light. You can’t break it, you can’t hurt it, you can only lose it by not taking the shot when you have the chance so when you see your perfect shot, take it.

When framing a shot in my mind, I always notice how the light is hitting my subject. I love natural light; I typically avoid flash. I love how natural light can hit my subject at just the right spot so as to tell a story, to force the mind to draw it’s own conclusions, to highlight, to accent, to frame.

I was walking through Chelsea in the late afternoon when I shot today’s Photo of the Day, “The Lightness of Being.” The sun was tucking itself behind the buildings and, when I looked up at this beautiful building, with it’s fantastic arches and wonderful fire escapes I just loved how the light hit the top corner just in the right spot to show a distinct break between the dark and the light.

Enjoy!

*tracey*

Photo(s) of the Day: Works of Art Along the High Line- New York City

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“Brandon Many Ribs” Artist: JR

I love street art. A LOT. Whether it’s walking around the Fulton Market District here in Chicago or other urban areas around the world I know that I drive those traveling with me nuts because I am constantly stopping to snap photos of even the most obscure works as we’re walking along.

There is nothing obscure about any of the works of art we came across walking along the High Line in West Chelsea during my last trip to New York City. The first amazing piece I encountered was “Brandon Many Ribs,” shown above, by artist JR. Made up of 64 printed panels that are adhered to the bricks of a building along the north end of the High Line, this is one of many works from the Inside Out Project, a collaboration between the artist and people around the world participating in this project. Find out more here.

“The High Line Zoo” Artist: Jordan Betten

Next up was “The High Line Zoo” by New York City artist Jordan Betten, founder of Lost Art. The “zoo,” which can be found between 27th and 28th street along the High Line is one of many very recognizable murals of Betten’s found around the world. Find out more about Betten and his work here.

A new take on, “VJ Day in Times Square” Artist: Unknown

I am not totally certain who the artist was who created this mural, a take on Alfred Eisenstaedt’s “VJ Day in Times Square,” but it immediately caught my eye. I was one of the many college kids who had the photograph up on the wall of my apartment after the movie, “Singles” came out. (a movie which, to this day, is still in my top ten favorite movies of all time… have you heard the soundtrack??) I loved this take on the original photograph and wish I knew who the artist is (I’m going to venture a guess it’s not the person “Kobra” who felt the need to tag the mural)

There was so much more to see walking along the High Line, it’s definitely worth the trip and, walking around Chelsea provided so many more opportunities to shoot street art as well as awesome architecture. While you’re there, if you get a little hungry, I definitely recommend stopping by Pastis for a quick bite of lunch… the Mediterranean tuna sandwich is AMAZING.

Enjoy!

*tracey*

Photo of the Day – The Chelsea

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The Chelsea in Black & White – Tracey Capone Photography © 2012

I love walking around NYC with my camera. The sights, the sounds, the people watching, the architecture. Ohhhh, the architecture. This time around, I spent some time walking the length of the High Line and taking some time to walk around Chelsea and I didn’t leave disappointed.

Braving the extreme heat, I headed over to W 23rd Street to the Hotel Chelsea, a New York City landmark since 1966. The history behind this hotel, mainly in it’s list of notable and notorious residents over the years, such as singers Bob Dylan and Iggy Pop, writers Charles Bukowski and Arthur C. Clarke (Clarke wrote 2001: A Space Odyssey while staying at The Chelsea), and a slew of famous actors. The hotel isn’t without it’s sordid history. It marks the place where Nancy Spurgeon, girlfriend of the Sex Pistols Sid Vicious was found stabbed to death in 1978. The list of notables, and the history they brought with them, or made during their stay there, is astounding.

As of August 2011, the hotel was shut down for renovations. I truly hope they don’t touch the amazing facade too much; if anything just to do a little tuck pointing but no major overhauls. The beautiful reddish orange brick and the wrought iron balconies make this building, formally the tallest in New York (at the time it was built), seem as if it’s straight out of Paris rather than here in the States.

I decided to go with both a color and black and white version of this photograph because I felt both provided a unique perspective on the building and told two very different stories. While the color version shows the beauty of the building, I feel the black and white version represents the history (and ghosts??) of the hotel.  Which do you prefer?

Enjoy!

*tracey*

The Chelsea in Color – Tracey Capone Photography © 2012