NYC - photographic things to see and do?

Kevin Caulfield · Jan 10, 2005

It looks like I'll be spending a few days in NYC, from Friday 28th Jan until Tuesday 2nd Feb. I would appreciate any ideas on things to see and do from a photographic perspective, e.g. galleries, museums, and must-see photospots.
Thanks,
Kevin

bmac · Jan 10, 2005

International Center of Photography is always great. I enjoyed spending the afternoon walking through and shooting at the Central Park zoo as well.

Brian

VoidoidRamone · Jan 10, 2005

I'm going to be in the city a couple weeks before you, and I looked up what will be at the ICP- and they are having an exhibition on Ralph Eugene Meatyard. I like his work, so I am taking time to go look at this. And the MoMA just reopened, and is supposed to be pretty great.
-Grant

David A. Goldfarb · Jan 10, 2005

Here's a good listing of the local galleries with website links--

http://art-support.com/galleries_ny.htm

You can get a good overview of current shows in the _Village Voice_, which is available free anywhere in the 5 boroughs of New York, and online at www.villagevoice.com. When I want to visit galleries, I usually walk around with the VV in hand, since most of the galleries are clustered around a few spots in the city, and you can walk from one to the next.

Lots of good work to be seen usually at Dead Link Removed

Get a 7-day unlimited subway pass, so you won't feel inhibited about traveling anywhere that interests you.

Avoid the hassle at the airport. Buy your film at B&H (but remember they close early Fridays and all day Saturday, and check bhphoto.com for holiday closings). If you need film on a Friday afternoon, there's Calumet, but they close on weekends. If you're shooting color and want to process it here, I recommend www.modernage.com.

If you want to check out lots of neat cameras, I like www.photo-gizzmo.com and www.lensandrepro.com. Lens and Repro has an old balance with a card that says "FILM" in one pan and "DIGITAL" in the other. "DIGITAL" has more letters, but "FILM" seems a bit heavier.

VoidoidRamone · Jan 11, 2005

David, I'm casually looking around for a cheaper rangefinder (Canonet GIII QL17, Olympus XA, etc.) would you recommend going to lens and repro for something like that? or maybe somewhere else? I figured that I could probably find something like that in NYC somewhere... thanks
-Grant

David A. Goldfarb · Jan 11, 2005

Lens and Repro and B&H have that sort of thing, but NYC prices are kind of high for used equipment. You are probably better off ordering from KEH.com. Tamarkin specializes in Leicas and collectible rangefinders, but they might have some cheaper ones--www.tamarkin.com.

Glenn Mathison · Jan 11, 2005

Hope you have better luck then me Kevin. I arrived in NJ Friday night last week and went into NYC all day Saturday. Windy, cold and rainy. The camera came out just a few brief times

Still a fabulous place just to wander around looking for photo op's though. Enjoy...

Glenn
(Temp. in NJ)

roteague · Jan 11, 2005

GlennSYD said:
Hope you have better luck then me Kevin. I arrived in NJ Friday night last week and went into NYC all day Saturday.

Sorry to see you are in NJ. A friend of mine from Sydney, a commercial photographer, sent me some nice panoramic shots of the Sydney Harbor taken last week or so; beautiful stuff, although he uses a D100 these days.

Kevin Caulfield · Jan 11, 2005

Thanks all for replies so far, especially David for your comprehensive reply. I'll actually be staying in NJ too, Glenn.
Regards,
Kevin

Jeffrey A. Steinberg · Jan 11, 2005

as a native new yorker, check out:

--Inside of Grand Central Station--Beaux Arts masterpiece (42nd and Lexington/Madison)
--Walk over the George Washington Bridge (and adventure)
--Meatpacking district (far westside north of Soho)
--Walk over the Brooklyn Bridge (much more accessable) and take pictures in DUMBO (Down under the Manhatten Bridge Overpass). Check out link:

Dead Link Removed
--Chinatown/Little Italy (what's left)
--Harlem/125th Street
--Gugenheim Museum (5th Avenue in the 90's).

That should get you started for now.

Paul Ozzello · Jan 12, 2005

If you're into the gallery scene, be sure to buy 'Photography' (available at the ICP bookstore). It's a concise guide ($7) with a listing of all the photography galleries in NYC. It tells you the photographers that are represented, and contains detailed maps organised by district. Remember that most galleries are closed on Mondays.

George Losse · Jan 12, 2005

Try this site.

http://www.photography-guide.com/

Once your in NY this publication is sold in a lot of places. But this site will get you started.

Monophoto · Jan 15, 2005

My wife lets me take her to NYC each Fall for my birthday - we spend the morning wandering through galleries, have a nice lunch, and after a few more galleries take the subway up 57th street and do a little shopping.

There are three main gallery districts. The area just north of Canal Street has a number of galleries, especially along Broadway. The real gold mine is Chelsea - generally 19th through 23rd. Streets, mainly betweeh 10th and 11th Avenues. There are buildings that you can wander into that contain floor after floor of galleries - some showing photography, some showing other forms of art, and all exciting and inspiring. Finally, there are a number of galleries in mid-town - ICP of course, but there are a number of dealers who have recently relocated to 57th street.

George's suggestion about the photography guide web site is excellent - I use that site to plan which galleries we MUST see. But I also endorse Fatso's suggestion about purchasing Photography. Actually, the listings in Photography are identically the same as on the web site (the two publications have common ownership), but the book has maps that show gallery locations, and it's a great book to take home as a souvenir of the trip. It's exceptionally well printed on heavy paper and has nice reproductions of a lot of the images that are showing in the galleries.

VoidoidRamone · Jan 17, 2005

I just got back from NYC this morning, I really liked the ICP. I also went to the MoMA and the Museum of the City of New York (103rd and 5th, I think). The MoMA is also really nice- I think it was the third floor that was "dedicated" to photography, there were some of the classic images (Robert Frank, Diane Arbus, etc.). The majority of the bottom floor at the ICP is the Ralph Eugene Meatyard exhibit, there is also a room of Bill Owens' photographs, and a room of POP prints by Monsieur Bellocq. There are three photo exhibits at the Museum of the City of New York- all have to do with the subway system. They were all nice, I really enjoyed the 'new' MoMA- it's huge.
-Grant

Peter Schrager · Jan 17, 2005

NYC Galleries

For anyone else planning a trip to NYC don't forget to go to the Soho Photo Gallery. This is a collective gallery down in Tribeca on White Street. You'll see some of the best current photography in the NY area and the shows change once a month. Besides, Tribeca is still a great neighborhood to photograph in as it hasn't been totally destroyed like Soho.
Peter

Kevin Caulfield · Feb 6, 2005

Well, I had a great trip, so thanks all for your tips. I went to the MoMA and the Met and of course the ICP (Meatyard exhibition was great). I took quite a few photos. Good spots were - the view from the 4th floor of the MoMA into the street outside; the rooftop of a friend's apartment near 17th and 7th for sunrise; Central Park; and Grand Central Terminal. By the way, you can ask for and get a pass to use a tripod at Grand Central - all you need to do is go to the Stationmaster's Office.

Jeffrey A. Steinberg · Feb 6, 2005

Kevin Caulfield said:
By the way, you can ask for and get a pass to use a tripod at Grand Central - all you need to do is go to the Stationmaster's Office.

Did you get the pass on the same day? I tried to do that last year and was told to call the press office in advance. I am wondering if they changed their opion.

Once you had the pass, did any police officers hassle you? Just wondering as I want to shoot again there with a tripod.

Bruce Osgood · Feb 7, 2005

Kevin Caulfield said:
By the way, you can ask for and get a pass to use a tripod at Grand Central - all you need to do is go to the Stationmaster's Office.

That's good to know. I'm glad you had a good time. Would like to see some of your efforts when you can show them.

Kevin Caulfield · Feb 7, 2005

I actually set up my tripod on the stairwell, knowing full well that I would probably get into trouble. I had already taken a couple of handheld shots on Delta 3200, but wanted some on fine-grained film. So I set the tripod up halfway down the stairwell, placed the camera on it and checked the viewfinder, and thankfully, didn't need to move it. Took a quick ambient light reading and shot a 25-ish second exposure, and within about five more seconds a policewoman came almost running up the stairs and said "No tripods allowed, sir. If you want to use a tripod, you can get a pass from the stationmaster's office". So, I kind of gave up on the idea, but was glad I got one shot. But then I thought, why not get a pass and take some more. So I found the office and told them I would like a pass. The guy there phoned some lady, and he handed the phone to me to talk to her. She said I was in luck as it was after 10 am. She said I could shoot anywhere on the floor except in front of ticket windows, and not at all on the stairs. But if I wanted a high viewpoint she suggested that after 12, I could shoot from the Metrazor (? something like that, the restaurant on one end). She then said she hoped I have a lovely stay in New York. So then the guy asked how long I wanted the pass for, and I said two hours. A little later the same policewoman came back to me and asked if I got the pass, so I showed her, and she said "Put it on". Several other police and security-type people walked past and looked at me, saw the pass and left me alone. It is just called a "Special Pass" and has the time range written on it together with your name. I think it helped that I have an Australian accent. They may not be so nice to "locals". But I must say, I was very impressed.

Kevin Caulfield · Feb 7, 2005

The other really odd question the lady asked me was "You are going to keep your clothes on, aren't you?" Maybe a few photographers have tried to do nude shots in there? I can't think why else she would ask that.

Jeffrey A. Steinberg · Feb 7, 2005

Kevin Caulfield said:
The other really odd question the lady asked me was "You are going to keep your clothes on, aren't you?" Maybe a few photographers have tried to do nude shots in there? I can't think why else she would ask that.

There is a "performance" artist/photographer that got several hundred (I think) people to be nude on the street in NYC and inside GCT. I think he did it a few times.

Just remembered his name. Spencer Tunick.

Some info:

http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1248/is_9_88/ai_65069520

Here is the image the women was referring to:

http://www.i-20.com/artist.php?artist_id=19&page=images

Kevin Caulfield · Feb 8, 2005

The same guy has even done a big shoot here in my hometown, Melbourne, Australia.

NYC - photographic things to see and do?

Kevin Caulfield

bmac

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David A. Goldfarb

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roteague

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Kevin Caulfield

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Bruce Osgood

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NYC - photographic things to see and do?

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