Steel City Snapper photography
35mm, medium format and large format film photography (with the odd bit of digital every now and then…)
This huge yacht was moored in the marina at Barcelona. The figure stood at the prow gives some sense of scale. There were bigger vessels than this one there too, and what you can’t see from the angle this photo was taken, is the helicopter perched on the back of the boat.
I suggested to my wife that a boat such as this would make a fine birthday gift, but she didn’t seem to be listening…
Canon Sure Shot Z135 & Kodak Portra 400.
Taken on 18 June 2019
At the eastern end of the Occulus transport hub / shopping mall atrium at the World Trade Center hangs this large US flag. At first I wondered if it was back to front, but on looking it up I learned that this is the correct way for it to be hung in a vertical orientation. My knowledge of the world has expanded a little.
I took many photos in the Occulus, both on film and digital, and it’s a very photogenic place. It is also surprisingly difficult to get pleasing photos of people in the atrium as it’s tricky to get the composition and placement of individuals just how you want them before someone walks in or out of the frame, breaking the harmony of the shot.
Canon Sure Shot Z135 & Kodak Portra 400.
Taken on 26 May 2019
Today’s photo was taken on the day we visited the WTC Memorial Museum. I can’t remember if I took it while we waited in the queue for entry to the museum, or if it was taken later in the day after I’d been to the top of One World Trade Center and we were walking back to the subway. It’s probably the former, or at least earlier in the day as (as I type this) I recall that storm clouds had begun to cover the sky before we left the WTC district. These same clouds resulted in the downpour that trapped us at Grand Central Terminal, during which I took the photo that I posted here on 15 June.
Canon Sure Shot Z135 & Kodak Portra 400.
Taken on 26 May 2019
This is one of the buildings that make up the World Financial Center area, adjacent to the World Trade Center. I think that this particular building is designated as WFC 1.
I really liked the way the morning light was striking the building, throwing the structure into strong relief.
It’s another shot that shows the Z135’s tendency to vignette noticably at wider angles.
Canon Sure Shot Z135 & Kodak Portra 400.
Taken on 25 May 2019
This was taken in 51st Street subway station in Manhattan. We had a visit to the WTC memorial planned for the day and the subway was the most convenient way to get there. I did take a number of photos while we travelled on the subway during our trip, but most were on digital.
Canon Sure Shot Z135 & Kodak Portra 400.
Taken on 25 May 2019
After our visit to the WTC Memorial, we caught the subway back to midtown and got off the train at Grand Central Terminal. After grabbing a few snacks from the food court on the lower level, we decided head back to the hotel.
Upon approaching the exit we noticed people entering the building with umbrellas, or with significant signs of being caught in the rain, and upon exiting found that it was absolutely tipping it down.
While we waited for the rain to ease off, we sheltered under the road bridge outside the south entrance, and I took a few photographs, including this one.
I know many photographers who complain when it rains, but for me it’s always a treat to be able to get photographs in this sort of weather. The way the floor suddenly becomes a diffuse mirror for light and clolour, and the way people behave and take shelter makes for very interesing photos in my opinion. There’s obviously some work to be done to ensure you and your camera are not soaked, but the effort is definitely worth it, don’t you think?
Canon Sure Shot Z135 & Kodak Portra 400.
Taken on 26 May 2019
On the Saturday of Memorial weekend there was a lot of activity around Rockefeller Plaza as people set things up for the events that would be taking place. Here a couple of guys stand outside Radio City Music Hall while trucks are unloaded.
Canon Sure Shot Z135 & Kodak Portra 400.
Taken on 25 May 2019
I’m not 100% sure where this building is – I think it’s in lower Manhattan and that I took the shot as we walked up Broadway after disembarking from the boat from Liberty Island. I took quite a few shots of tall buildings with blue skies and have to note how much the Z135 vignettes. I’d not noticed it too much with my black and white HP5+ shots from the same camera, but it’s quite noticable on the colour images. I don’t really mind it that much, but it’s something to bear in mind I suppose.
Canon Sure Shot Z135 & Kodak Portra 400.
Taken on 24 May 2019
Ah, the good old tongue-twister. “Red lorry, yellow lorry” is one that I have problems with, I can barely say it a handful of times before it becomes gabled noise. “She sells sea shells on the sea shore” on the other hand, is a breeze.
Anyway, today’s post features a couple of the aforementioned trucks, both of which were parked outside Radio City Music Hall on the first day of the Memorial Weekend.
I’m really happy with the vivid red of the Coke truck.
Canon Sure Shot Z135 & Kodak Portra 400.
Taken on 25 May 2019
I’ve seen the Wall Street “Charging Bull” sculpture on films and TV shows on numerous occasions, It’s also regularly shown when someone runs a story on the US financial markets. It’s maybe not that well known by people in the UK, but I knew about it and thought it would be nice to get a picture or two while we were in southern Manhattan.
I got my chance on the first full day of our trip after we got off the boat back from Liberty Island. We decided to have a walk around to find something to eat and came across it by chance. Alas, my idea of getting a picture of the bull was somewhat thwarted by the huge crowds of people with exactly the same idea however. It was absolutely swamped by people: taking selfies; taking photos of others; climbing on the concrete barricades that protect it; touching its nose; touching its horns; and, yes, most popular of all it would seem, touching its balls (which have been rubbed so many times as to be shiny from all the attention!).
So, in the end, I figured a capture of the moment would probably have more meaning to me than a plain old shot of the bull by itself, so here you go…
Canon Sure Shot Z135 & Kodak Portra 400.
Taken on 25 May 2019
Steel City Snapper photography 