We recently rediscovered Steven Siegel's amazing archive of photos from old New York, specifically from the 1980s, and decided to ask him for his thoughts and reflections about his work as well as the changes that have taken place in New York over the past thirty years. Below are his words, along with more of his photographs from the time. (Previously: 14 photos of an apocalyptic looking 1980s NYC, and Siegel's street portraits from that era. And you can click here for Siegel's archives on Flickr.)
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Results tagged “photography”
Steven Siegel Tells Us About His 1980s Photography Days, And A Changing NYC
NYC Street Photographer's 1950s Photos Found, Headed To Queens Museum Of Art
Starting February 5th and running through May 20th, the Queens Museum of Art will be showing off the work of photographer Frank Oscar Larson, who documented the streets of New York in the 1950s. They're in possession of "several thousand historic negatives hidden from sight for 55 years," and will bring 65 of them in print form to their "1950s New York Street Stories" installation. Larson was a Queens banker who had a "lifelong passion for photography" and yielded a tremendous images of everyday life in 1950s New York.
How Many Times Can We Say Goodbye To CBGB?
CBGB closed in 2006, but the wound is still open, apparently... because people are still saying goodbye. Those old punks just can't let go! We received a press release from Clic Gallery in SoHo about their upcoming Bruno Hadjadj show, called "Bye Bye CBGB," which opens on January 30th. Instead of looking back at the glory days, however, the show focuses on the final 48 hours at the club.
Weegee's Grisly Crime Scene Photos From 1930s and 1940s New York
These photographs were all shot by Arthur Fellig and are said to have highly influenced the film noir genre. In fact, in 1945 he published a book of his photographs, called Naked City, which inspired the 1947 film of the same name. He also collaborated with Stanley Kubrick, who he knew when they were both struggling photographers in the city.
$4.3 Million Andreas Gursky Image Now Most Expensive Photograph EVER
Christie's Head of Post War and Contemporary Art Europe Francis Outred explained to CBS News, "This is an image which speaks to everyman on many different levels. At its most basic, it is an astounding picture of nature, which has been scaled and detailed to take the viewer right into the scene in the way that artists have strived to do throughout history." And according to the Christie's listing, the other prints in the edition are at the "Museum of Modern Art, New York; Pinakothek der Moderne, Munich; Tate Modern, London and the Glenstone Collection, Potomac." So, it's a good deal?
Did Metro New York Manipulate OWS Photographer For Front Page Controversy?
Metro New York ran a front page story this morning on photographer Andrew Piccone, a frequent contributor to The Awl whose first gallery show, “Faces of Occupy Wall Street,” opens tonight at the Frontrunner gallery in TriBeCa. Piccone was grateful for the attention for what may be the first Occupy Wall Street-related gallery opening in the city—but was surprised to find himself portrayed as an opportunist trying to profit off of OWS, with the free daily paper noting, "The portraits of some 26 protesters will be sold for $200 a print." And two questions have emerged as a result: did Metro unfairly set him up for the sake of controversy? And is it ever wrong for photographers to make money off their art, regardless on the subject matter?
Freaky Photos Of The Gowanus Canal For All Hallows Eve
Today photographer Nathan Kensinger posted some photos from his Gowanus Canal collection, and what's creepier than that? The now Superfunded strip of water is the perfect thing to look at for a gross-out factor on your Halloween. Join us for a journey through what Kensinger calls "the Toxic Playground." But beware! He forewarns that "the darker side of the canal's lawlessness includes more than a century of criminal dumping... the pollution was so bad that the canal was prone to spontaneous combustion. It was also a reputed Mafia dumping ground, with neighbors finding dead bodies in the water, sometimes tied to chairs."
Comparing 1982 Storefronts To Present Day
Photographer Daniel Weeks snapped shots of every block in Manhattan in 1982, which he's now getting up online. His street-level portraits show the storefronts and buildings lining the sidewalks back in the day, from a head-on angle. And now everyone is having fun comparing them with the modern day view. Sadly, they're a little small... but maybe that's good because we're starting to have aesthetic envy.
Angry Cop Accosts Visitor To 9/11 Memorial For Taking Photographs
Like other public spaces in New York City, it's perfectly legal to take photos at the National 9/11 Memorial. And, like other public space in New York City, some cops will try to tell you otherwise. Meredith Dodson, a Georgia native who relocated to Bed-Stuy six months ago, visited the memorial on September 22nd, and had such a disturbing encounter with an NYPD officer that she was reduced to tears.
9/11 Museum Features Photos Of Those Who Jumped From Towers
Some of the most powerful and controversial images of the September 11th attacks are those of victims who jumped from the twin towers to escape the intense conditions within the buildings. The 9/11 Museum and Memorial will include them in their exhibit, and the museum's president told the Post, "It is honestly one of the most difficult things that we battle with," and compared their place at the memorial to Yad Vashem, Israel's Holocaust memorial. Perhaps the most iconic of these photos is one taken by AP photographer Richard Drew that has been deemed "Falling Man."
More Photos Released Of Frances Bean Cobain As She Turns 19
Recently Fine Art Photographer Rocky Schenck photographed daughter of Kurt and Courtney, Frances Bean Cobain, who just turned 19 years old last week. (While Nirvana's Nevermind is turning 20!) We were just sent some of the new photos, which we're told were shot at her request—do you think she looks more like her mom or dad?
Check Out This Adorable Juice Box Camera!
It's not often that we post about a specific product, but every once in a while, something just weird or precious enough comes along, like this little guy. Capture the sweet memory of your forgotten childhood and whatever desperate, drunken antics you get yourself into these days all in one quick click with this adorable juice box camera!
Welcome To Coney Island, NO PHOTOGRAPHY Allowed?
The Italian amusement park company that took over what was once Astroland doesn't want anyone taking photos inside the park, according a photographer who was recently hassled by security at the Scream Zone. The amusement park, it should be noted, is located on city-owned property that's being leased to the company, Zamperla. On the Coney Island message board, photographer Harold Kramer vents about his experience:
Check Out These West Side Photos, Now On Display On A West Side Boat
Lest you forget that New York is a coastal city, check out these beautiful photos from photographer Shelley Seccombe—not only does much of her work focus on the West Village piers, but they're currently on display at the Lilac, a 1930s-era steamship docked at Pier 25.
How To Photograph Fireworks (And How NOT To Light Them)
Make no mistake about it, if you are outside tonight and see fireworks, even if they are way off in the distance, you will try to take a photo, even if it's with your old clamshell cell phone. It's just what the Bud Lite will move you to do, and there's no resisting. So in an effort to help you put the best photo of fireworks out there—because you know it's going "out there" via text, or Twitter, or Facebook—here are some tips from Y! Tech. Unfortunately, they don't have many tips for camera phone users, they simply say "take extra care to hold your camera as still and steady as possible," but for those using more advanced technology, it's worth checking out their how to guide. And if you get any good shots, be sure to send them to us or tag them "Gothamist" on Flickr!
Crowdsourcing A Nazi Photo Album
Here's an interesting little project from the New York Times: Crowdsourcing a mysterious Nazi photo album. An undocumented photographer in the 1940s captured dozens of haunting, unprecedented shots of Hitler, prisoners, and gravesites from various stops in Eastern Europe. They're part of a "historical puzzle" that the album's anonymous owner—a 72-year-old executive in the fashion industry who lives in New Jersey and works in Manhattan—is hoping to solve. He'd like to identify where the photos came from and sell them for "six figures or higher." Here's a look at one of the photos; go to the Lens blog for the rest.
Apple Seeks To End iPhone Use At Concerts
Could concert iPhone photography be a thing of the past? Might you actually be able to see a band without the obstruction of tiny glowing screens? A new patent may limit iPhone capabilities at concerts; according to Business Insider, "Apple wants to use infra-red receivers that disable your video camera when it's held up to film live performances." Other texting and phone capabilities would still work normally, as the goal is to protect those who hold rights to concerts... like, say, event organizers, or the band.
Two "Urban Explorers" Arrested For Attempting To Climb Williamsburg Bridge At 3 A.M.
Two men, aged 22 and 25, were arrested in the wee hours of the morning today for attempting to climb the Williamsburg bridge, claiming they wanted to take pictures. Police Chief Ray Kelly described James Stafford and Brice Farrell, who were from Connecticut and Maryland, respectively, as "urban explorers," a rare species previously spotted scaling the same bridge back in 2003.
Photographers Temporarily Fix NYC's Pothole Problem
Husband and wife team Davide Luciano and Claudia Ficca have taken the pothole problem and put a creative spin on it. They explain, "After a sudden collision with a canyon sized crater of a pothole we decided to channel our frustration into a positive project where the useless pothole would be a source of humor and creativity." They photographed in New York City, Montreal, Toronto, and LA—you can check them all out here. Now how about some permanent creative solutions to fixing the potholes—LEGOs, anyone? [via Official Hype]
Photos: 1980s NYC Street Fashion Was Amazing
Tomorrow night photographer Jamel Shabazz will lead a discussion at the Tenement Museum, complete with a slideshow of his best shots from 1980s New York City. Street fashion, hip-hop, and graffiti, oh my! Click through for a little preview, and there are many more photos right here. If you're left wanting more than a slideshow, pick up a boombox, some legwarmers, and Shabazz's book, Back In The Days (the 10th anniversary edition will be released on June 21st).
Manhattanhenge Rises This Monday!
New Yorker's favorite urban phenomenon is almost upon us—the first date for Manhattanhenge 2011 is happening this Monday. And it's the perfect excuse to head into the abyss of Manhattan this Memorial Day weekend!
Photographer On Cop Harassment: "Cops Think You Can't Photograph Them" But "It's BS"
Yesterday, we saw a video taken by a local NY photo/videographer who claimed he was "harassed and ticketed" by MTA police for taking photos of armed soldiers and cops inside Penn Station on Wednesday. We talked to Joey Boots this morning, and he told us a bit more about the incident, and why photographers need to know their rights: "Some of these cops really think you can't take photographs of them. It's BS. Most people will just comply, because they're intimidated by the badge...I'm a law-abiding citizen, a veteran, not out to harass anybody, but I am out to exercise my first amendment rights."
Video: Local Videographer "Harassed and Ticketed" By Police For Taking Photos Of Cops
Yesterday, a local NY photo/videographer claims he was "harassed and ticketed" by MTA police for taking photos of armed soldiers and cops inside Penn Station. Joey Boots, a Howard Stern
Celebrate Bob Dylan's 70th Starting This Weekend
Bob Dylan is turning 70 years young next week, and there's a slew of stuff happening around his big day. It all kicks off on Friday when the Morrison Hotel Gallery (124 Prince Street) will unveil their exhibit, featuring "never before seen photography" of the man himself. (Photographer Ken Regan will be on hand Saturday from 1 to 4 p.m. to sign his book, which also features other artists from that time). Click through for a preview, and below is a list of other Dylan events happening in the next week:
NJ Could Criminalize Taking Photographs Of Children
If you live in the Garden State and "take a picture of your child at the Jersey shore, building a sand castle, and there were other children in the background," you might someday be charged with a crime. Right now, such a law is being debated in the New Jersey legislature would include broad language that "would make it a third degree crime to photograph or video tape children when a 'reasonable parent or guardian would not expect his child to be the subject of such reproduction." A third degree crime in New Jersey carries a maximum sentence of 3-5 years in prison.
Video: Find Manhattan In This Urban Timelapse
Timelapses, urban landscapes, dramatic scores! Dominic Boudreault shot Manhattan, Montreal, Quebec City, Toronto, and Chicago from late 2010 to early 2011, and has created a timelapse montage with what he captured. Can you spot all of Manhattan's close-ups? Boudreault says his goal was "to show the duality between city and nature"—and we gotta say the shot at 2:45 really nails it.
Now On View: Photos Of A Dark New York
If you aren't impressed with the rooftop installation at The Met, then head inside for their Night Vision exhibit (which also just opened). "At the turn of the last century, night photography came into its own as an artistic genre. Modern camera artists were captivated by the many moods of electric light: the softly shining globes of street lamps, glittering skyscraper façades, dazzling neon signs, the intimate chiaroscuro of lamplit rooms." This made New York the perfect subject, though the exhibit also includes photos from all over the world. Click through for a look at Little Italy's Feast of San Gennaro circa 1948, and that time a man's decapitated head was found next to a cake box.
Old NYC Street Photographer Saul Leiter Gets Documented
Today Ephemeral NY revisits the old photos of Saul Leiter, who moved to New York City at age 23 and famously documented the city with his camera, and often expired film. (When he wasn't doing this, he was earning a paycheck at fashion shoots for magazines like Harper's Bazaar.) Well, it turns out the famous documentarian is now getting documented himself.
Another Photographer Mixes Nudity With NYC
Next month photographer Erica Simone will unveil her nude self-portraits in an exhibit titled "Nue York: Self-Portraits of a Bare Urban Citizen." The 20 photographs feature Simone all over the city—from the Bowery to the Bronx—sans clothing. They include her shoveling snow, panhandling, window shopping, eating a hot dog (of course), checking out some books at the library, getting bent over a car by a police officer, and so on. They are all too NSFW to post here, but if you have some privacy, we promise not to judge if you click through to the exhibit's gallery of images.
Hip Hop Meets Punk At The Morrison Hotel
The Morrison Hotel Gallery is unveiling a new exhibit tomorrow called "Catch the Beat: The Roots of Punk & Hip Hop," which will feature the photography of Janette Beckman and David Corio. The two documented the punk and hip hop movements of the 70s and 80s as they both freelanced for rival weekly papers in London (Melody Maker and New Musical Express). They both later moved to New York, documented the hip hop scene in the 80s, and eventually became friends. They discussed their joint show, which comes many decades after first meeting, and say:
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