Category Archives: Uncategorized

For my podcast I would like to do a follow up story on the Welling Court Mural Project. With there being talk that last summer’s renovation of the art in the small community in Queens would be the last, I would like to interview Ad Hoc Art, the founders of the project, to see why they will (most likely) not continue the project. This is a good news peg because 5 Pointz was recently white washed and is pending demolition and now another street art project in Queens is being discontinued.

For this assignment, I am interested in doing a podcast featuring makeup artists who work freelance jobs such as bridal, runway and photo shoots. I want to do get in on the inside of the business. How it works, whether artists need to get certified or not, building their kits to use doing their projects. I hope their is some sort of difference because I want to focus of those three types of artists. I would also like to talk with photographers and learn more about how they work with makeup artists and reach out to them. What do they look to achieve when taking photos for the makeup artists.

https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1-b-zUzQBf2tM4kd9lIoHz5OlQZ7SXE3ZGP9RruQh5W4/pub?start=false&loop=false&delayms=3000

The Welling Court Mural Project is an outdoor art exhibition that was started in 2009 to beautify the small Astoria, Queens neighborhood.

JENNA BAGCAL

For my photo essay, I would like to stick with something that is familiar to me, and also goes along with my beat. As we mentioned in class, there are a number of street performers and musicians in New York City. They are in the streets (obviously), in subways, and even on the subway platforms. Some of the performers have perfected their craft and are recognized by many for their dancing, singing, instrument playing, etc. Some are amateurs who perform for the pure enjoyment and to earn a few extra dollars. Whether they are seasoned or not, the performers all have their own story to tell.

For this particular assignment, I was thinking about finding various street/subway performers and photographing them. I think because of the horrible weather that we’ve been having in NYC, I will focus mostly on subway/subway platform performers. I will most likely focus on the performers in Herald Square and Times Square and will do short interviews with the subjects of my photographs. I will ask each person their name, age, how they got into street performing, if they go to school/have a job, if this is their main source of income, how much they make from their performances, etc. I hope to find a wide range of performers to make this photo essay as diverse and interesting as possible.

I think it best I tackle food. When I say food I don’t mean traversing to different locales and ordering various foods on the menu. By food I mean families that shop, and establishments that order their ingredients and prepare meals which are served to you (the customer). Non-GMO/Organic/Gluten Free, what do these all mean to you and your family? What do these terms mean to your neighbor Frank and his freshly pregnant wife bringing a baby into this world? What do they mean to all of us aside from a big price hike? Are people forking out the extra money to explore the answer to this question? Or are they sticking to their pesticide ridden bananas or gluten filled bread? What are the benefits of living a gluten free life? Why do people hate glutens so much, what did they ever do to you? Finally, are people truly gravitating towards this healthy lifestyle through food? I don’t know, but I sure will find out.

For my photo essay I would like to follow a day in the life of the famous Arepa lady in Jackson heights. She makes lovely authentic colombian Arepas on 78th and Roosevelt late weeknights and always seems to have flare and passion for her delicious little Arepas. It amazes me how she can bring a taste of her country and most likely emigrated to America in hopes of a better life with her family. The Arepas alone are delicious and it would be great to cover her story with photos and the process of making these delights. Street food can be hit or miss and she definitely hit it big, it is these non traditional culinary finds that makes living in the city so great, and the people that make it.

I was having a hard time making a decision on what I should create my photo essay about.  I know for my beat I had two interests, but I wasn’t sure how to turn those into a successful photo essay.  I really like my second option about co-branding but I figured I was going about that the wrong way.  Instead, I think I am going to focus on people who create their own businesses, whether it’s from a corporation or on their own.  This way, I can still focus on business, and include the co-branding, but I think it will be easier to focus on, as well write about.

For my photo essay, I would like to focus on Maria’s Daycare.  This daycare is about to celebrate their 20th year anniversary.  This is a daycare for low income families.  It was opened from a woman who immigrated here from Puerto Rico.  I was hoping to get her point of view and show how hard she’s worked to be where she is today.

For my photo essay assignment, I would like to cover the diversity of Flushing, Queens and capture it in the stories of individual people. Flushing is one of the most diverse cities in the nation, including people from Asian, Hispanic, Middle Eastern, European, and African American descent. Most people living in Flushing are from immigrant families, tightly holding on to their culture and staying within their communities. While Flushing is growing rapidly, the fact cannot be escaped that some areas resemble a third world country. The great influx of immigrants adds to its vibrant and lively culture. Many immigrants have made their mark, establishing themseleves and their own busineeses. There are over 200 places of worship located in the small city, meaning that they are in great proximity to each other, sometimes having mutliple different religious institutions within a block of the next. With the 7-train being peoples gateway into the city, Flushing is relatively close to, but nothing like the city. Its a backdrop to booming city, but sits well on its own, where foreigners have the opportunity to explore different countries without leaving home. In particular, Downtown Flushing is known as another Chinatown, expected to overtake that of Manhatthan in a few years.  The stories held by these immigrants, from their business, to restaurants, to food, and religious places of worship will  truly encompass the theme- Home away from home.

Alternately, I would like to pitch two other stories. I have had them one my mind for a while and could see it work. The first is to do a day in the life kind of story on a student in the dual language program in P.S. 163, located in Flushing, Queens. Many schools in New York City employ dual language programs in elementary schools, training students to become bilingual from a very early age. New York, home to millions of immigrants, is the hub of cultural diversity. Queens in particular is known the “most diverse borough in the city,” according to the NYC 2010 Results from the 2010 Census, with Flushing accounting for a large part of it. P.S.163 in Flushing Heights became the first school in Queens to start a dual language program in Chinese in 2006. Currently, there is only one other Chinese program in the borough. Of course, this would mean getting permission from the child, the child’s parent, the child’s teachers, and maybe even the principal. I would follow the child around and capture different moments in daily routine, and the dual language programs effect on the child.

The other would be of the closing of 5Pointz: The Institute of Higher Burnin’, otherwise known as 5Pointz Aerosol Art Center. It is the world’s premiere “graffiti mecca” where aersol artists from around the globe came to paint there art on the walls. 200 artists payed below average rent for studio space. It was first opened in 1993 and had since served an important place for art. Not only was it for artists, but also a famous tourist center, attracting many people and being a great view for millions of daily riders commuting on the 7-train. It was white-washed overnight, to make way for a $400 million residential project, leaving artists, tourists, local communties, and 7-train onlookers in shock. A rally occured last year to help save it. If I did go about this story, it would be easy to get photos of the place, but difficult to get photos of people as it is closed.

-Shalika Mugrai