When you are tired of looking up at the skyscrapers, there is always something interesting to look at on the ground! Taken on a cold, sunny day in Washington Square Park in NYC.
Tag Archives: NYC
Being Sharp Isn’t Everything
OK, I am not taking about brains here, although having your wits about you is always a good thing, especially when traveling in unfamiliar territory. I am talking about an image being in focus. A photo doesn’t have to be tack sharp or in focus to be good or great. In my opinion, a photographer’s job is to tell a story. While not my best image, the photograph here was taken at dusk in NYC, through glass. I took the quick shot so the man with the paper wouldn’t see me. Is it sharp? No, but with all the elements in the photo you can come to the conclusion that this man is probably getting his shoes shined. This isn’t going to hang on my wall anytime soon, but it definitely fits into my portfolio of New York. It’s just a piece of the overall story, regardless if it’s in focus or not. 
http://www.timschultzphotography.com
The Story Behind the Image
In October of 2002 I was walking around the streets of NYC, when I was drawn down a street in the Village. There were people standing around, firemen accessing a situation, and a FDNY firetruck. I stood directly across the street from the truck when all of a sudden, a Dalmatian popped its head out and looked at the firemen. I immediately got off some shots, wishing I had color film in my camera. Yes, film.
Fast forward 10 years to 2012. I framed the image and brought it with me to NYC. With some of the clues in the photograph, I was able to find the firehouse. Thankfully, it was not one of the houses that fell victim to budget cuts.
After knocking on the door a few times, a fireman opened the door, I explained that I wanted the house to have the photo, and then he said, “Would you like to meet her?” The dog was still alive! Her name is Twenty, after the firehouse.
As you can see from the photo with Twenty and me, the fireman should probably stick to his day job and leave the photography to me!
I left that firehouse feeling 10 feet tall. 10 years after creating one of my favorite images, I was able to give something back and meet the ‘star’ of the photo. I walked away in search of my next image, my next memory, my next story.
Tim
Don’t forget the other shots
When traveling, don’t just photograph the famous monuments! Sure the Empire State Building, the Eiffel Tower, or Big Ben are iconic and are must have shots, but don’t forget to take images that complete the story. If you are in a city, a detailed shot of your cafe au lait on a Parisian sidewalk or a man walking 10 dogs in NYC will tell a story of your travels. If hiking a national park, get down low and photograph the flowers or take a photo of your hiking map. If you look for things to photograph, your eyes will be wide open!
New York State of Mind
When I walk the streets of New York, I am amazed at the ability of man to build, to create, to push the boundaries of innovation.
When I go to the mountains, I am reminded of how insignificant man really is.
Tim Schultz Photography 