I arrived New York following a one year backpacking trip through South and Central America. During my first months in the Big Apple I used to visit Spanish Harlem often, re-experiencing the tastes that I missed. When this assignment was given and I was thinking about this neighborhood that I loved, I realized how quickly the New York pace has taken over me. Its been over 4 years since I’ve made my way uptown, and I found the scenery somewhat different but the soul is still the same.
Field Notes:
Sunday Mass Aftermath: Just arriving the neighborhood I noticed a group of people stepping up from the basement. Peeking inside I found this simple church with few people still there chatting. I had a chance to take a couple of photos before I was asked, not very kindly, to leave. After this unpleasant experienceI decided to take a different tactic and to make sure people are comfortable with me and my camera.
Pasando el Dia: This group of men didn’t seem to have any particular reason in lining along the sidewalk. That is how I found them, and even as we were chatting andI asked to take the picture no one bothered to change his position. I was wondering whether man sitting was a matter of hierarchy but was afraid that such a question would not go down well with my broken Spanish.
Day Game at Shea: As a Mets fan I found it easy to approach Etol. He was standing outside a residential building, with a much elderly friend sitting on the stairs next to him. He was listening to the baseball game that took place not to far in Queens. The Mets had the lead, so that explains his joy (of course they ended up loosing the game though).
Holding Court: I found a group of men hanging out on the street, just outside a small neighborhood park. No one was in the park itself. The man photographed was the only one sitting. I asked if I could take a picture of his watch that had the Puerto Rican flag embodied in it, and that was the result.
Manuel was just about to enter the building when I stopped him and asked where did he get his hat from. He said he bought it in Puerto Rico and that I can probably find something similar around the neighborhood. I asked to take a picture of his cap. His expression in the photo surprised me, it seemed like the camera exposed something about him that I missed.
“Day game at shea” is just awsome. I laugh every time I see that guy’s face and his missing teeth.
He has enough facial character to begin with despite his difficulties with dental hygiene. To see him dictating his joy with a portable radio is just great.
Ayla,
You captured some really very good moments in this neighborhood!
You captions give the images more depth especially “Pasando el Dia”…
Very nice!
Your project is one of my favorite in the way of how well you captured the personalities of your characters and scenes.
I am especially curious abut Manuel, who thought that you were only taking a photograph of his hat and whose expression is thus very unaffected by the presence of the camera. I wish we could know what he was thinking, why he looks so sad, and not curious about you or annoyed by an unusual request, or anything else that I feel could be a more expected reaction.
Great job!
You’ve got some talent there bud. Keep it up.
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