New York: On the FDR highway in Manhattan
Inspiration: On Sunday afternoon, he and I jumped in my new car to drive to Woodbury Commons. It was only about 2:30 but already the sun looked droopy and low (it sucks that the sun is setting around 4:30 these days). I was driving and he was holding my camera on his lap. I looked in my side view mirror as I tried to pass a car and saw the first picture. "How cool. Oh My God. Take it! Take the picture" I squealed somewhat incoherently as we passed the bridge. "Of what? What are you talking about?" he said quizzically as he looked at me with his eyebrows furrowed. "The mirror. The mirror. The bridge in the mirror. Hurrrrryyyy." He turned, looked, got what I was talking about and snapped this picture for me. Then I asked him to photograph the Brooklyn and Williamsburg bridges together saying all the while, "Don't forget to focus, okay. And add light. Add light." As he snapped photos, the camera sandwiched between his face and the window of the car, he said "You know I don't know what I am doing with this camera, right? I am just pressing this one button a bunch of times." So funny. He is so patient. I ended up loving his photos. Great job for someone taking pictures under pressure.
I must say your guy did a beautiful job. I particularly love the shadows, how they work to create an almost tilt-shift effect--especially in the second photograph. My love refuses to touch my cameras out of fear that every frame will be unusable. [SHRUG]
Posted by: Bianca | November 23, 2010 at 10:43 AM
Thanks Bianca. I must agree with you - I really like what he did. If I had the camera in those seconds, I would have exposed more . . . or even over exposed. But it turns out that I like them underexposed. You should tell you guy that in the age of digital and delete buttons, there should be no fear.
Posted by: The Photodiarist | November 23, 2010 at 10:45 AM
Wonderful, amazing, fascinating, marvelous pictures, PD. Congratulations for those.
Posted by: San | November 23, 2010 at 11:09 AM
Gorgeous shots!!
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Posted by: annawithlove | November 23, 2010 at 11:16 AM
The last picture was amazing.
Posted by: Photographer Benedikte Bull | November 23, 2010 at 11:20 AM
ha! funny story. i can imagine the poor guy trying his best while you're breathing down his neck. he did great job considering the bothersome female sitting next to him...haha. i'm sure he would agree with me.
Posted by: the nyanzi report | November 23, 2010 at 11:36 AM
Oh David! It wasn't that bad. But he might agree with you! BTW, I just realized that I can see his fingers in the first photo . . . they are melding into the clouds. At least, I think those are fingers . . .
Posted by: The Photodiarist | November 23, 2010 at 11:55 AM
He sis a wonderful job! LOVE the two bridges together -- what a beautiful image!
Have a wonderful Thanksgiving! :)
Posted by: mary | November 23, 2010 at 11:59 AM
oops, of course I meant "did"...
Posted by: mary | November 23, 2010 at 11:59 AM
I love it!!
Kissses from Madrid..
María
Posted by: loca por tu ropa | November 23, 2010 at 12:03 PM
Great story and well done to your man under pressure. Ah and I can see the extra feflection you were telling David about. It does look like fingers. Xxxx
Posted by: Fashionistable | November 23, 2010 at 01:29 PM
Beautiful! Love the shadows!!
haha, yes, I agree, so true, fashion are for the most time old fashions!! :P
Posted by: Johanna Urban | November 23, 2010 at 01:45 PM
The first photo is completely surreal! The light, the shadow, the sky (looks like a piece of silky fabric), and the silhouette of the bridge, all reflected in the mirror... Amazing!!!
The 2nd one, gives a sort of dark vibe to the whole scene!
Good work! He had the camera but you had the instinct!
Posted by: CM | November 23, 2010 at 02:27 PM
I love this story, PD! Please you keep writing, too. (THANK YOU for saying that). This so hilarious, I can just picture the scene. And He did pretty damn good! Especially as He had to manually focus.
I'm going to start calling Mr. Dot 'He'. I'm bored with the Mr. Dot thing, and besides, as someone said, it describes someone short, round, bald.
My He, tho, is so totally not patient. All our 'shoots' I'm looking pissed off, angry, and doing this gesture with my hands pushing DOWN DOWN because he won't squat and I end up being all head and tiny feet.
My goodness, I'm lookinng at these shots again... he's really good! And like CM said, what's wonderful is it's a collaboration: you discovered the image. What teamwork.
Oh btw: Woodbury Common is not far from where we grew up, and then I lived in Brookville in a barn with Him for 5 years before moving here. We used to love driving around there: it's real Gatsby country, you can, in the right light, almost see his ghost.
Thank you for taking a break in your holiday to visit my little blog. x
Posted by: jill | November 23, 2010 at 03:56 PM
Wow, he did well indeed! I absolutely LOVE that first shot, you have such a brilliant eye ;) I haven't been to Woodbury Common yet, any good scores?
xx
Posted by: Brigadeiro | November 23, 2010 at 05:31 PM
Wowwwwwwwww, it's so beautiful !!! wooowwwww
Posted by: FH | November 23, 2010 at 05:51 PM
That first picture is sooooo nice. You have a great eye.
windowshopz.com
Posted by: Ninjagaiden78 | November 23, 2010 at 06:11 PM
Lol. Totally funny. I've got a photo like the first one somewhere of a windmill. And for someone who seemed like he didn't know what he was doing he did great! Love both pictures. The light and shadows in the second looks so good!
Posted by: Biana | November 23, 2010 at 06:16 PM
Wow, he did a great job! These are awesome shots.
Posted by: Journey Photographic | November 24, 2010 at 07:48 AM
Both photos are completely amazing!!!
There's a darker feeling to them then the usual, the shadows seem to want to take over.
And your story is so funny!
Great team work! He took the photos, but you're eyes had the inspiration!
Posted by: C | November 24, 2010 at 10:19 AM
so cute. I love the 1st shot
Posted by: Carole | November 24, 2010 at 05:09 PM
really beautiful photos ... I love the black and white!
http://damncreativity.blogspot.com/
Posted by: Tiziana | November 25, 2010 at 09:57 AM