The Photodiarist

Portraits: Life is Art

New York: Union Square

Inspiration: We all need a few mantras in our lives. One of my favorites is the idea that "Life is Art." And so it is.  Life supplies Art and Art feeds Life. They are indelibly intertwined. 

The Saxophonist, Pt. 2

New York: Washington Square Park

Inspiration: If cities were known by the musical instrument most commonly seen within them, New York would have to be a saxophone. 

It's a Love Thing, Again

New York: Union Square

Inspiration: Love.  Recently spotted hanging out in a window of the Decker Building in Union Square. And in case you are wondering, they looked at me (and laughed) and then right back at each other. 

The Poetry Salesman

New York: Washington Square Park

Inspiration: It should've come as no surprise that in a city such as mine, a city where one can buy anything on the streets, one can also buy rhyme, meter and beat. 

That for just a few dollars one can hire another to pen the words one wishes to say . . . except that he'll do it (one hopes) in a poetic kinda way.  

It should've come as no surprise that within a few minutes flat, and I really do mean at the drop of a hat, rhymes rolled off his mind and beats slipped through his hands. Words crystallized into a poem just like that. 

Hmm. Maybe I should set up my own poetry booth. 

Umm. No.

Le Parapluie

New York: Washington Square Park

Inspiration: As I passed through the park a couple of days ago, I spotted this girl with an umbrella in the fountain on a dry day. I guess this is what you do when you want to enjoy a dip in the water without getting thoroughly sprayed. Thought it made a rather amusing and picturesque moment.

A Modern Day Pied Piper

New York: Union Square

Inspiration: He was a bit of a pied piper. A mysterious one at that.  All the while he created mesmerizing and rhythmic beats with this incredible horn-trumpet-something instrument, dozens of people, including myself, stopped and stayed longer than we intended. Our heads bobbed and our hips swayed. He was awesome. Yet, the entire time he played, his face was obscured from view. Color version is here.

Profiles: Grown-up Pigtails

New York: Washington Square Park

Inspiration: I haven't worn my hair in two pigtails since I was . . . ?  Well, since I was really really small because I cannot remember the last time.  My failsafe hairstyle (once the blow-out blows out) is, without fail: (i) one ponytail (not pigtail); (ii) placed in the middle of the back of my head or at the nape of my neck (the side ponytail looks too contrived for me - like the other tail went missing); (iii) using a black or brown ponytail band (absolutely no scrunchies or colorful bands); (iv) with the ponytail part wrapped in and around the band. 

Despite my pigtail prejudice, I loved hers. So much so that that I tried it last night. Unfortunately, my pigtails sucked. The key to hers seems to be thick (but not too), long hair. My hair is thick but not really long (just past my shoulder blades). Because I couldn't achieve her loose braids, my version ended up looking like pigtails of the 8 year old kind. Back to my unassailable ponytail . . . pronto. 

The Fountain

New York: Washington Square Park

Inspiration: New York is so ridiculously hot and humid at the moment that I was actually considering jumping into the fountain at Washington Square Park and sitting in it's midst for a while. Ultimately, I chickened out - went home and turned on the air-conditioning instead. 

The Saxophonists

New York: Central Park (1st photo above); Washington Square Park (2nd photo below)

Inspiration: As I mentioned in my last post, it seems (at least to me) that accordion players are rarely found on the streets of New York. During my countless walks, I've come across only two. I learned, via comments made to said post, that unlike New York, accordionists are commonly found playing the streets of Paris. I think saxophone players are to New York what accordion players must be to Paris. I find them everywhere. Indeed, the gentleman in the top photo can almost always be found in the same tunnel in Central Park.

The Accordion Player

New York: Union Square

Inspiration: In the whole time that I've been photographing and posting musicians on this blog (and I've posted many), I've only photographed two accordion players.  This guy and this one. I am sure that there are lots of accordion players strumming away on street corners and in parks around the city, but, unfortunately, I hardly ever run into them. I think that the accordion makes such a jovial sound. It's like the Santa Claus of musical instruments.