A View of the Battery and Beyond

I posted those other photos of New York City, the ones of Grand Central and such. I couldn’t resist this one, taken in 1902 looking at New York Harbor from the end of Manhattan. There are so many details in this photo that it would take hours to catalog them all. First, take a look at the image.

Of course the Battery, is just left of center. Beyond the Battery is the Statue of Liberty. Turning to the right, you’ll see Ellis Island. Between the Battery and the Statue of Liberty, note the tugboat steaming along, towing a barge just behind it. In the foreground you see terminals for ferries going to Coney Island and Staten Island. Then there is the warehouse-like structure for the Pennsylvania Railroad. The park leading up to the Battery looks immaculate, as do those carriages on the wide boulevard that fronts it.

This must have been quite a time in New York. Things have changed but the Battery is still there. Ellis Island is now a tourist attraction. The Statue of Liberty is ringed with security.

I remember during my first few weeks of film school at New York University, I was given an assignment to take documentary photographs of a permanent structure. I trotted from Washington Square to the World Trade Center, camera and tripod in tow. I set up at the edge of the plaza and took a 360 degree panorama of the scene. I didn’t realize it at the time but I captured the completion of the World Financial Center, which is built on land that did not exist when the photo above was taken. The trailers from the construction companies were still there but this was the very end of the job. After the events of that fateful September, I found this series of photos on my shelves. The negatives (this was in the days of film) are in good condition. I’ll have to find a lab to make the prints and stitch that photo together again. It’ll feel the same as looking at the above photo, and yet it’s only twenty two years later.

Published in: on July 6, 2008 at 9:26 pm  Leave a Comment  
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Stories in Glass

There are many ways to tell a story. There are books, movies, and songs to name a few. There’s also the sculptures and reliefs found in plazas and on the facades of various buildings. And then there is the stained glass of churches. I’m particularly fond of this last one. As mentioned in an earlier post, the right atmosphere greatly enhances a story. Stained glass windows create all sorts of atmosphere from both the inside and the outside. The windows pictured below are from the Cathedral of Almudena, Madrid, Spain.

These windows are more modern than those found in say the Cathedral of Seville. The colors are more vivid, the individual pieces larger. Naturally, more light comes through. This colored light pools on the floor, spreads over the walls, and is unable to be avoided when inside the building. Then, at night, the windows shine outward so that a passerby sees the same scene from the other side thanks to internal illumination. Here’s another window:

 Of course, each window illustrates a scene from a Biblical story, informing the congregation about their faith. It may be hard to imagine a largely illiterate population relying on scenes such as this to access ecclesiastical knowledge. Nonetheless, this method was largely employed and can still be effective.

I’ve also seen stained glass windows with elaborate script at the base mentioning the particular person or organization who sponsored it. Thus, an opportunity to support the church and attain a sort of immortality.

One more window to gaze upon in this post:

While in Cordoba, Spain, I came across a school of the practical arts. Sorry, but I can’t remember the exact name. One of the trades taught at this school was the making of stained glass windows. Fortunately there are people who study and practice this art, going on to become master craftsmen who not only provide a barrier between the elements and us, but also a beautiful cultural expression that lasts for generations if not centuries.

So, when you find yourself on a travel adventure, don’t forget to slow down and let the different elements come to you one at a time. Your experience will be that much more interesting and fulfilling.

Published in: on July 6, 2008 at 12:18 pm  Leave a Comment  
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Independence Hall

Here it began all those years ago…

“Talk not to me of your rights until you have first demonstrated your worthiness through great acts of virtuous responsibility,” Preston Sinclair, American.

Published in: on July 4, 2008 at 4:03 pm  Comments (1)  
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Nome, Alaska, USA, 1899

Here are two more of those panoramic photos, this time from Nome, Alaska, when it was only two months old. They built fast back in those days. I suspect it had something to do with gold. The photos were taken in September of 1899, so the town only started construction in July.

Notice that the saloon is one of the first wooden structures while the living quarters remain tents. Goes to show what was really important and what wasn’t. To think what these people went through is incredible. So many hoped to get rich; so many returned poor. Probably the saloon owners made the most money. It must have been a rambunctious time.

Here’s a look at the waterfront.

There is a twin masted schooner there on the beach. Maybe she’s up for repairs or just lying there until her owners want to make the next voyage. Sailing her down through the Pacific must have been quite an adventure. Behind her lies a small steam boat. Again, I note the tents. Must have been a muddy mess.

Photos like these bring ideas for stories. Whenever I travel, I look for flea markets, yard sales, things like that, in hopes of finding old photographs. Each one has a story of its own and sometimes the best one is the one not told, that of the person who took the picture. What did they have in mind when they released the shutter? What was their purpose? Why did they find it necessary to take a picture at that moment? Of course, you can never really know. However, you can create answers of your own to those questions. It’s good exercise for the imagination.

These are the kinds of things history shows us. I only hope we learn something from it.

Published in: on July 4, 2008 at 12:41 pm  Leave a Comment  
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