The Weekly Photo Project

The Beast at Rest | Week 83

Mon, 30 Aug 2010 00:32 -0400

Whenever I'm running low on inspiration and don't know what to shoot, I go to Roosevelt Island. By its mere existence, the island is a contradiction of sorts, and a contradiction always has interesting subjects to document. This week I decided to shoot the power plant just across the river from the island. During the day it is an impressive structure, standing timelessly on the banks of the East River, holding you entranced by its sheer size and proximity. By night it's many conveyer belts dump tons of coal into its fiery belly as it spews black fumes into the unsuspecting skies above Queens. I visited at sunset, just before the beast awoke.

Shot on Tmax 100 b/w 35mm negative film, on a Nikon FM2n.

Sanket | Week 82

Mon, 30 Aug 2010 00:16 -0400

Every so often you come across individuals that humble you by the sheer intensity of their skill, and on a rare occasion or two, you get to know them better. I had such an opportunity when I met Sanket a few weeks ago. He's a percussionist with Kailasa and a gifted singer. We've shared a few evenings filled with music and singing, with Sanket's ever-present drumming to keep the beat, interspersed with anecdotes from a city I used to call home. This week's picture is a memory from one such evening.

Shot on Tri-X 400 @ 800, 120 film. Thanks to my friend Michael for lending me his Mamiya C220 on which I shot this, and to Gandharv for helping with the lights.

Standing Guard | Week 81

Sun, 15 Aug 2010 13:32 -0400

I was riding up to Riverside Park, and I happened to catch sight of this playing field. It was tucked away from view, just past Pier I, almost like a closely guarded secret. And the row of trees that lined its far side just added to the effect.

Lone Explorer | Week 80

Thu, 12 Aug 2010 15:19 -0400

I was out on the Frying Pan at sunset, catching up with a few friends, making new ones. The city's kayakers were on their way back. Except for this one guy who was just heading out.
Shot on Portra 160NC film, scanned and processed in Lightroom.

Exit Strategy | Week 79

Sun, 01 Aug 2010 22:31 -0400

My office building has the slowest elevators. Ever. And so it follows that we've all become intimately acquainted with the fire exit. A dozen times a day, I run down this passage with its ominously lit brick walls and winding corridors. I've always thought it would make for an interesting picture.

Shot on Tri-X 400. Developed in Rodinal 1+50 (agitation - first 30 sec, then 4-5 inversions every 30 sec)

Looking East | Week 78

Sun, 01 Aug 2010 22:06 -0400

On my first trip to the East Side Bikeway, I saw this man standing aside from the busy promenade. He stood there almost motionless for the 10 minutes I watched him. He stood, and stared. I loved how he was framed by the trees and street and the sky.

Shot on Tmax 3200 @ 1600. Developed in Rodinal 1+25.

Metropolis | Week 77

Sun, 18 Jul 2010 23:44 -0400

I've been riding my new bike everywhere. One such aimless trip took me to Governors Island (just off the southern tip of Manhattan). As I was rounding the first corner on the bike path, I stopped to look back at Manhattan. And there it was, jutting out of the water like some sort of magical metropolis. It made me think of The Fountainhead and of the Fortress of Solitude all at once.

Shot on Tmax P3200 @ 1600. Developed in Rodinal.

Road Warrior | Week 76

Sun, 18 Jul 2010 23:30 -0400

I was standing in my office window trying to find something to shoot. The rains had just stopped and I had eight more frames to go before the roll was up. I was shooting high speed film; no use trying to find something to shoot in broad daylight. Still, the sky was heavy with clouds and the light fairly low, so I hoped I might find something. Hardly anyone on an otherwise busy street. I was about to walk away when this man popped into view, and turned an empty street into a story.

Shot on Tmax P3200 @ 1600. Developed in Rodinal.

Respite | Week 75

Mon, 05 Jul 2010 14:34 -0400

All of us tend to have a happy place they can go away to, some of these live in our minds, some are real places you can touch and feel. This week's picture is one such place for me. Ollie's Sichuan Restaurant on 42nd and 9th. And although it is their Ma Po Tofu that I talk about most, it is their faux leather upholstery and numerous tucked-away tables that have me coming back. Ollie's is my break from the grind of the day, a quiet place where I can read my book and enjoy a delicious, albeit unhealthy, lunch (I think the grease adds a sense of adventure to the whole thing). I'm not sure what it is about this picture, but I can't seem to look away.

Shot on Ilford HP5 400, developed in Rodinal.

Moonrise | Week 74

Mon, 05 Jul 2010 14:22 -0400

There isn't much in the way of description that will add or take away from this picture; it is one of those photographs that just is. What do you think?

Shot on Ilford HP5 400 film, developed in D76.

Welcome Wagon | Week 73

Mon, 21 Jun 2010 00:45 -0400

As I took in the Pool in Central Park, I was struck by how deserted the place was, and how unusual it felt to be surrounded by so much untouched green. This little family of birds swam right up to me, fearless and confident, and went about their business as if I weren't there. In a weird way, it made me feel very welcome, as if I were part of this place, and didn't warrant a second look.

Shot on Kodak Tmax 400 pushed to 1600.

Oasis | Week 72

Mon, 21 Jun 2010 00:32 -0400

The 'Pool' on Central Park's Upper West Side offers respite to the mind from everything urban. I wandered into its vicinity not knowing what to expect. It had just rained, and one of the streams feeding the pool was gushing in full force. As I walked by it, I lost all memory of car horns and human voices. The bench by the pool's edge was so picture perfect that I was almost afraid to sit in it. I hung back and tried to capture the serenity of the place. It was surprising and sad how alien it all felt.

Shot on Kodak Tmax 400 film, pushed to 1600. Note the fine grain and sharpness. I hear the tonal response of this film is great at 400 but it is less forgiving than Tri-X. I think it's a great alternative though if you're looking for detail even at high speeds.

Family | Week 71

Mon, 07 Jun 2010 00:45 -0400

Geetika invited me over for brunch with her parents. They'd been visiting with her for the last two months, and were leaving the next day. I had the rare privilege of tasting her mother's cooking, and discussing old Russian cameras with her father. So much wisdom, so much love and so many lines on their faces. They shared their lives with me wholeheartedly, their togetherness bubbling to the surface in the endless references they made to each other as they talked. It was beautiful. I requested a picture of theirs with Geetika before I left. Lovely, I think.

Shot on Tri-X 400 film, pushed to 1600. Note the separation of the tones to either end of the spectrum, a loss in midtones and an emphasis on the highlights and shadows.

Fly like you mean it | Week 70

Mon, 07 Jun 2010 00:16 -0400

I got the last set of film from Mumbai developed last week. It makes me think of every little bird in the flock, beating hard, trying to fly as swiftly as their little wings will carry them and as far as their minds can imagine. No pretty formation flying here, no. This is all about every bird for itself. And yet there is a bizarre harmony in their pattern, something so fundamentally magnetic that attracts me to them. Somewhat reminiscent of the swirling crowds on the city's streets, no?

Shot on Tri-X 400, pushed to 1600.

The Duet | Week 69

Sat, 22 May 2010 15:04 -0400

I caught two fishing boats amid a delicate dance at sunset. Anchored just off a fishing village near Mahim Creek, a stark contrast to the chaos of the city.

Shot on Kodak Tri-X 400 35mm film.

The Wife | Week 68

Sat, 22 May 2010 15:03 -0400

Neha stood in the doorway to my apartment in Mumbai. The sun bouncing off the street lit her face up. I shot.

Shot on Kodak Tri-X 400 35mm film.

Show's over | Week 67

Sun, 09 May 2010 04:22 -0400

I captured this soon after the performance at Radio City. While most of the crowd began to stream out instantly, a few took a moment to take in the venue and contemplate the last two hours they'd spent. I thought this made for an interesting juxtaposition (if you look carefully, you can see people walking down the stairs just below the gentleman in the balcony).

Shot on ISO 3200 BW negative film (Ilford Delta 3200).

Light and Sound | Week 66

Sun, 09 May 2010 04:14 -0400

I was at Radio City music hall waiting for the performance to begin. The amphitheater was by no means state-of-the-art but I felt it's structure was an apt visualization of the light and sound-rich content it hosted every night.

This was shot on ISO 3200 BW negative film (Ilford Delta 3200). Note the rendition of light and detail in the shadows.

Manhattan Green | Week 65

Sun, 25 Apr 2010 14:18 -0400

After a gorgeous Saturday, Sunday was supposed to be rainy. And cold. While everyone else was cursing their luck, I was glad I would have the park to myself.

Manhattan Bridge | Week 64

Sun, 18 Apr 2010 18:47 -0400

I ran out of ideas this week, so I decided to shoot something that's already been shot hundreds of times and put my own spin on it.

In the spotlight | Week 63

Sun, 11 Apr 2010 18:13 -0400

I've been in New York over five years now, and I hadn't really taken a picture of Lady Liberty. I didn't intend to this week either but on my way to Staten Island, she 'stepped into the spotlight' so to speak. I think she's very photogenic.

Asimov | Week 62

Sat, 03 Apr 2010 15:25 -0400

This weekend I headed to Storm King Art Center, just outside the city. I wasn't sure what to expect, and how I was going to shoot it. I spent hours walking around the 500-acre plot trying to come to terms with the immensity of the work. I was overwhelmed. Of the many sculptures I shot that day, this one by Calder struck me as something straight out of one of Asimov's books.

Warrior Goddess | Week 61

Sun, 28 Mar 2010 08:32 -0400

This week I stayed close to home. Literally. I attempted to portray a softer side of the 'Warrior Goddess' Durga ever-watchful and affectionate.

Of Crows and Cricket | Week 60

Fri, 19 Mar 2010 21:23 -0400

I've been in Mumbai this past week. It's been more than 5 years since I moved away, and each time I visit, a little more of the city seems to have changed. But no matter where I am in the city, I can still hear crows or be hit in the face with a cricket ball. So when I saw this little fellow watching patiently as the first players of the day gathered, I couldn't help taking a picture.

Silver Lining | Week 59

Sat, 13 Mar 2010 18:26 -0400

New York got buckets of rain this weekend. In fact, as I write this, it's pouring buckets outside. I was in the back of a cab, speeding along Long Island Expressway. The rain showed no sign of letting up. But this picture I took seemed to say otherwise.

Get Away | Week 58

Sun, 07 Mar 2010 18:51 -0400

I headed up to Fort Tryon Park this weekend to lose myself among the trees and rocks. Every time I walked to the edge of the park, however, I was reminded that I was still very much in New York City. The steady stream of cars issuing from the heart of Manhattan only served to echo that thought. Maybe I just need a vacation.

Train to Neverland | Week 57

Sun, 28 Feb 2010 18:05 -0400

I've always enjoyed the decompression I feel when I get out of Manhattan. I used to enjoy it when I lived on Roosevelt Island, and so after a very busy weekend I decided to head to Queens for this week's photo. I spent an hour shooting at the Queensboro Plaza subway station. Ironically, this week's photo was shot from the 7 train back home.

Sunset at The Javits | Week 56

Sun, 21 Feb 2010 18:25 -0400

It was Sunday evening and I hadn't shot for this week yet. I had no plans, I was nervous. I was walking over to the riverside hoping to get lucky. And I did.

Liberty | Week 55

Mon, 15 Feb 2010 18:08 -0400

I decided to head to Red Hook around sunset thinking I'd get some interesting pictures. I couldn't be farther from the truth. By the time I got there, the cloud cover was complete and the light was dismal. Disappointed, I headed back. As I sat at the pier enclosed in the comfort of double-walled glass, I noticed a flock of gulls wheeling about. They flew free and fearless, almost teasing winter to strike them down.

The Last Visitor | Week 54

Sun, 07 Feb 2010 18:03 -0400

I braved the cold down at South Ferry to get a glimpse of Lady Liberty from the boardwalk. My intention was to capture the effect her presence had... on pretty much everything. I photographed tourists getting their pictures taken with her in the background, others recording video or clamoring for the ferry to take a closer look at her. None of these seemed quite as interesting as the gulls that flocked the scene, seemingly taking her presence in their stride, but never quite completely ignoring her.

Blue & Gold | Week 53

Sun, 31 Jan 2010 15:33 -0400

I went to the Brooklyn Flea market this weekend. I'd heard that the building the market moves to in winter is gorgeous - tall glass windows with sunlight streaming through in large, undisturbed shafts. That's the picture I had in my head as I walked in. The sun, however, had other things on its mind, and the Brooklyn Flea wasn't one of them. Luckily, the ceilings at One Hanson Place were gorgeous. They made me think of Indian sarees.

The Crossing | Week 52

Sun, 24 Jan 2010 17:13 -0400

It was cold, it was raining, and I decided to take a walk down the Highline. Today, for the first time I took some time to look out over the street from the viewing platform. It's usually crawling with kids and tourists. It was refreshing to look down 10th avenue and see almost no one. Almost.

Peek-A-Boo | Week 51

Wed, 13 Jan 2010 22:25 -0400

I have these lovely plants on my windowsill. They've been with me for almost three years now, braving harsh weather and taking my occasional negligence in their stride. Some have withered, while others have barely managed to cling on. One, in particular, manages to distract me every night, its almond-shaped leaves pushing gently against my curtains as if trying to escape the harsh white lights from the buildings beyond.

Powerpuff Trails | Week 50

Fri, 08 Jan 2010 00:23 -0400

Continuing my experiments with multiple exposures and abstracts this week, I was playing with the perception of tangible and intangible objects. I particularly liked this one because it made me think of the Powerpuff Girls. You know how they left behind colorful trails when they flew? I think if you looked at those trails carefully, they'd look like this.

Mystery Gift | Week 49

Sat, 02 Jan 2010 23:56 -0400

I'd been meaning to play with multiple exposures in-camera. This is my first attempt, and I tried to keep things real simple. Would love to know what you think. What does this make you think of?

How I did it
I lit one corner of my room so one wall was lit, the other was in shadow. This was what I shot.

I used the 'multiple exposure' feature (available on most digital cameras) to shoot 5 successive exposures on the same frame so they overlap.

I rotated the camera a little every time I shot. I made sure the point of rotation in the frame stayed constant so I would get lines that all intersect at one point.

I also used a large aperture (f/1.8) and focused on the point of rotation so the lines would be sharp where they intersect, but get softer as they moved away.

I tweaked the result in Lightroom to get the desired color and visibility.

A castle called Belvedere | Week 48

Tue, 22 Dec 2009 14:44 -0400

I've been looking forward to shooting some landscapes. But seeing as I'm in the City this holiday, I went scouting for locations. I've always wanted to photograph Belvedere Castle in Central Park. The first few times, the sun was on the wrong side, but this last time I got there just in time. I'll go back in spring; I'd love some clouds in the sky.

Cold Majestic | Week 47

Sun, 20 Dec 2009 13:01 -0400

The city got a foot of snow, and my friend Pancham and I decided to take a walk in the Conservatory Gardens in Central Park to see what we could shoot. The gardens were disappointing, everything was buried and the gardener kept chasing us around with a giant snow blower. We went up a flight of stairs to get out of his way, and ended up in this enclosed walkway overlooking the gardens. The vines were bare, but looking back on the old majestic buildings that line the Upper East Side, I caught sight of this.

Buddies | Week 46

Sat, 12 Dec 2009 17:17 -0400

On Saturday afternoon I had the pleasure of having coffee with two lovely ladies. Friends since their undergraduate days, they've been inseparable for as long as I've known them. They complete each other's sentences, exchange non-verbal messages and slip back and forth between comfortable silences and peals of laughter. One of them is moving to the other side of the world on Monday, and I was charged with capturing some of this magic they share.

The long walk home | Week 45

Tue, 01 Dec 2009 21:26 -0400

You know how you can sometimes feel utterly and completely alone, even in a city packed with people?

Train to Beacon | Week 44

Fri, 27 Nov 2009 12:46 -0400

My friend Geetika suggested to head over to the Dia:Beacon museum, about 70 miles north of New York City. It was Thanksgiving weekend, and the last thing I wanted to do was drag my a** out of bed at the crack of dawn. But I'm glad I did.

Untitled | Week 43

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 20:35 -0400

In keeping with weaning myself from Roosevelt Island, this week's photo comes from the Upper East Side. I was on my way to a friend's for dinner when I caught sight of this apartment building with huge columns and ominously lit corridors. On the outside. The 24mm helped.

From another time | Week 42

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 21:11 -0400

I walked past this tree, awash in streetlight and bare in the cold. The sky was clouded, the night still. It almost felt as if I was looking into another time.

Special Interest Group | Week 41

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 07:47 -0400

I decided to take some shots on Roosevelt Island around sunrise. I took my usual route down the promenade on the Queens side, and as I walked by the baseball field, I noticed this - a flock of gulls, not pigeons, mind you, walking at a leisurely pace by the sidelines.

Tower in the sky | Week 40

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 21:41 -0400

This week's photo is another from my night series on Roosevelt Island. This one's different, though. You'll know what I mean if you've been following along for the past few weeks. What you see here is one of the two large towers that support the cables of the Roosevelt Island tram. This tower is on the island, right by the Queensboro bridge. I shot it in almost complete darkness, but you can see some light from the bridge lighting one side. The towers are painted a bright orange, and the moonlight lets you see the clouds in the background. Pretty, I think.

The Moment | Week 39

Wed, 28 Oct 2009 20:01 -0400

This week's photo comes from the parking lot on Roosevelt Island, a concrete maze of massive pillars and yellow construction lamps with the occasional person every now and then. I saw three, at the same time.

Seize the night | Week 38

Tue, 20 Oct 2009 19:44 -0400

I was out on the island as usual, shooting for the photo documentary I've taken on for this class I'm doing at ICP. As I neared the lighthouse at the northern tip of the island, I noticed this solitary pigeon perched on the rail, head cocked to one side, as if questioning me.

Coo? | Week 37

Sat, 10 Oct 2009 12:02 -0400

Old, meet new | Week 36

Sat, 03 Oct 2009 16:33 -0400

This week I kicked off a series for a photo documentary I'm planning to do on Roosevelt Island. I moved off the island about 5 months ago, but a part of me stayed behind. I miss spending long weekend afternoons just walking around taking pictures of all the wonderful little things that make it such a uniquely beautiful place.

I've always loved how the gentle downward sweep of the Queensboro bridge is abruptly punctuated by the Citibank building, almost like a first encounter with someone you know you're going to a see a lot of. The rain clouds on Saturday afternoon seemed to provide the best backdrop for this dramatic introduction.

I see you | Week 35

Sat, 26 Sep 2009 18:30 -0400

I was with a few friends waiting for my train when I noticed this man. He seemed worried, restless. He tried to blend into the happy chatter of the weekend crowd, but kept looking over his shoulder. And that bothered me.

Got game? | Week 34

Sat, 19 Sep 2009 11:23 -0400

I met Simon at the Cooper Park dog run this weekend. He had just one question for me.