Manhattan-Changing West Side Part-I

I've been working in on Manhattan's west side for the better part of 10 years now, and let me tell you the place is changing almost over night.  From what I'm told the west side use to be a place teeming with drugs, violence and the delights of man. When I came to the west side In early 2000, it was more of  a desolate empty shell.  When I was walking to work the masses of worker ants were leaving, thus the majority of the areas population. The walk from 34th street and 12ave was a quite but a lonely one.

     After awhile my company moved further up to hell's kitchen in the mid 40's to 50's.  When I arrived in hells kitchen I truly saw a melting pot of  disparity. On one hand you have the old hell's kitchen littered with people from a by gone era.  That by gone era includes people who survived the ravages of excessive drug use during the hard partying times of the 70's and 80's, and people who love the diversity and rough edges of the neighborhood and refuse to leave.  On the other hand you have the new riche. The money that couldn't afford the east side and couldn't quite afford midtown.  You see them jogging about in there premium brand lulu lemon, or walking their ultra tiny exclusive dogs.  The look of loathing on there faces giving there intentions away.  There hope or promise from the city and real estate dealers that the area will be cleaned up within 10 years.  Judging by the NYC real estate market and the current price of property or renting in this area, the city and agents are not far off there mark. The west side is being redeveloped at an ungodly pace.  At my last check there building what I believe to be condos or apartment housing and a brand new public school connected to each other at the same time. 

So, you may ask why do you care?  Well, growing up my East New York-Brooklyn neighborhood went through a hell of a lot of changes. Some of these changes good some bad. On the bad side the neighborhood has lost its identity due to the cheaply built Nehemiah-homes or association or whatever the hell there called. But there cheaply built and take away from the once all brick houses, but I digress.  I wish I would have had the same passion for photography back then.  This way I could have some visual record of the change.  Also, its a good chance to put a lens that you barely use to work.  I've had the Nikon 16-35mm f/4g for awhile and need to see if I really like the lens.  At the same time, I'm learning and teaching myself.  People always talk about wide angle lens and distortion this and distortion that. Well like most things until you see a lamp post that was at a perfect straight angle to your eye bend a significant amount on your computer at home, you will never truly understand. I hope to add more photos of the changes as the summer progresses. try finding something in your neck of the woods that you may want to remember or track the changes and try to give it a shot (no pun intended :-)   

  Your initial pics may not be great, as is the story of me.  I am in no way a landscape photographer and enjoy photographing people more than anything else, but stepping out of my box will help me to grow in the portrait area, even if I don't see it right now.  Stepping out your box always forces your mind to expand. By expanding your mind ,when you get back to your comfort zone you now look at that box in a completely different way. You may start seeing things and taking risk that you never would have imagined.  In closing, step out and give something else a try.  your pics may be better or worse than mine but what the hell give it a try. 

Destruction

Construction  

Construction

Construction

Construction

Construction

Visual Break

Rebirth on the horizon

Rebirth