#project365 [day 65] the Rink at the Rock

November 4, 2015

The ice rink at the Rockefeller Center is a New York City Winter tradition. In the heart of Midtown, steps from Times Square and the Theater District. And thankfully it was still going in the end of March for it makes a wonderful focal point for this view of the Rock. In the foreground you can see the back of the statue of Prometheus, probably the most photographed monumental sculpture in all of NYC. Created by Paul Manship, an American sculptor, it has become the main attraction of the Lower Plaza. Behind it there is an inscription, not seen here, that reads: "Prometheus, Teacher in Every Art, Brought the Fire That Hath Proved to the Mortals a Means to Mighty Ends." by Aeschylus a Greek dramatist on the 6th century BC.

-- Gear
Fujifilm X-PRO1
Samyang 8mm f2.8 Fisheye
-- Post
Lightroom : HDR photomerge, initial toning and final crop
Photoshop: Sharpening, colour blending and clean up
NikCollection Color Efex Pro 4: Toning and Detail extraction

#project365 [day 64] Revolutionary War Veteran

November 3, 2015

Scattered throughout the cemeteries located in church grounds I kept seeing these medals. Being something I never came across before they intrigued me, and this one even had a tiny flag next to it which made for an irresistible target for my camera.They are in fact grave markers to distinguish the brave souls who perished in the call of duty. This one is dedicated to a soldier of the Revolutionary War, better known to us as the War of Independence. You can find a number of other markers for most other wars that the US fought in and even for Fireman amongst others. This one was found next to Trinity Church in Lower Manhattan, New York City.

-- Gear
Fujifilm X-T1
Fujifilm XF18-135mmF3.5-5.6R LM OIS WR
-- Post
Lightroom : Initial tone, final crop and vignette
Photoshop: Minor clean up and sharpening.
NikCollection Color Efex Pro 4: Toning and Detail extraction

#project365 [day 63] 1 Wall Street

November 2, 2015

In the most well known street of Lower Manhattan, New York City, you can find this great example of Art-Deco Architecture. Not that it is hard to find Art-Deco examples all over NYC. But on the narrow Wall Street this one stands out. Known as the BNY Mellon building since 2007, is was originally built in 1931 for the Irving Trust Company and designed by Ralph Walker. Standing fifty stories high and 199m tall, has a steel skeleton with limestone covering the facade.

-- Gear
Fujifilm X-T1
Fujifilm XF18-135mmF3.5-5.6R LM OIS WR
-- Post
Lightroom : Initial tone, final crop and vignette
Photoshop: Minor clean up and sharpening.
NikCollection Color Efex Pro 4: Toning and Detail extraction

#project365 [day 62] Inside the NYPL the bust of John Stewart Kennedy

November 1, 2015

Inside the main entrance of the Stephen A, Schwarzman Building of the NYPL in Midtown Manhattan you can find the bust of John Stewart Kennedy. Born in Glasgow, Scotland, he established himself in New York being prominently connected throughout his life with many charities in the city, namely the Columbia University, the Metropolitan Museum of Art and of course the New York Public Library. The main hall of this lovely building is worth a visit on its own, but if you have the time I would advise you to wander through the corridors and explore the whole building.

-- Gear
Fujifilm X-T1
Fujifilm XF18-135mmF3.5-5.6R LM OIS WR
-- Post
Lightroom : Initial tone, final crop and vignette
Photoshop: Minor clean up and sharpening.
NikCollection Color Efex Pro 4: Toning and Detail extraction

#project365 [day 61] Lower Manhattan from Brooklyn

October 31, 2015

The panoramic view from the Brooklyn Bridge Park, with Lower Manhattan's skyline in the centre of the stage. The statue of liberty is also visible, but is so small in comparison that it is just a few pixels high, even on the original 87522 pixel long panorama shot. Using the X-T1's in camera panorama functionality makes is so easy to create these types of images, that I tend to use it every time I have a great landscape or cityscape.

-- Gear
Fujifilm X-T1
Fujifilm XF18-135mmF3.5-5.6R LM OIS WR
-- Post
Lightroom : Initial tone, final crop and vignette
Photoshop: Minor clean up and sharpening.
NikCollection Color Efex Pro 4: Toning and Detail extraction

#project365 [day 60] William Cullen Bryant Memorial

October 30, 2015

On the back of NYPL's Stephen A. Schwarzman Building, you can find Bryant Park, a tiny 39,000 square meter public park with a wonderful lawn in the middle of all of midtown Manhattan's skyscrapers. Previously known as Reservoir Park, in 1884 it was renamed Bryant Park to honour the New York Evening Post editor and abolitionist William Cullen Bryant. In 1899 the construction of the New York Public Library building began, and when it finished in 1911 the memorial was also created. On it's center you can find the bronze statue of Bryant created by Herbert Adams. The history of the park has been marked by a great period of deterioration, and by the 1970s it had been taken over by drug dealers, prostitutes and the homeless. In 1980 the Bryant Park Restoration Corporation was created with the purpose of restoring the parks former glory, which had been achieved by the 1990s after major rebuilding projects.

-- Gear
Fujifilm X-PRO1
Samyang 8mm f2.8 Fisheye
-- Post
Lightroom : Initial toning and final crop
Photoshop: Sharpening, colour blending and clean up
NikCollection Color Efex Pro 4: Toning and Detail extraction

#project365 [day 59] Customer Service @ Grand Central Terminal

October 29, 2015

A stern face lady faces of against a pleading man at the Customer Service window on NY's Grand Central Station. Eventually she would smile at him, and he came out seemingly satisfied. But still this scene was a lot more interesting in setting up a story, the everyday scene repeated inumerous times that most of us can relate to. The ornate booths that fill the walls of the iconic station main concourse are a beautiful example of the care taken when creating this sort of building on the beginning of the 20th century, but unfortunately are falling into disuse with some being repurposed since the introduction of ticket vending machines.

-- Gear
Fujifilm X-T1
Fujifilm XF18-135mmF3.5-5.6R LM OIS WR
-- Post
Lightroom : Initial tone, final crop and vignette
Photoshop: Minor clean up and sharpening.
NikCollection Silver Efex Pro 4: Toning, detail extraction and black & white conversion

#project365 [day 58] Brooklyn classic

October 28, 2015

Back in days 13 and 24 I showed the two elements that make this image on their own. The iconic Brooklyn Bridge and the landmark Brooklyn Ice Cream Factory form the landscape of the Fulton Ferry Pier. Together they represent the most classic image of Brooklyn.

-- Gear
Fujifilm X-PRO1
Fujifilm XF10-24mmF4 R OIS
-- Post
Lightroom : Initial toning and final crop
Photoshop: Sharpening, colour blending and clean up
NikCollection Color Efex Pro 4: Toning and Detail extraction

#project365 [day 57] Church of Letters

October 27, 2015

Located in the Chinatown neighbourhood of Manhattan, New York City, the Church of the Transfiguration is a Roman Catholic church built in 1801 in the Georgian style. It was designated a landmark in 1966. On one of the corners of the building you can find a very unusual statue, it is a memorial to Father Varela, a Cuban priest who became a defender of immigrant rights when he moved to New York.
The Memorial consists of a statue of Father Varela surrounded by a mandorla of anodised aluminium letters that together spell out The Lord’s Prayer. The base of the sculpture is fashioned from black granite from the lot used to build the September, 11th Memorial.The mandorla was conceived and designed by Father Andrew O’Connor of St. Mary’s Catholic Church, architect Hans Roegle and Chris Knight, a Manchester, England based sculptor.

-- Gear
Fujifilm X-T1
Fujifilm XF18-135mmF3.5-5.6R LM OIS WR
-- Post
Lightroom : Initial tone, final crop and vignette
Photoshop: Minor clean up and sharpening.
NikCollection Color Efex Pro 4: Toning and Detail extraction

#project365 [day 56] Eastern Standard Time on Grand Central Terminal

October 26, 2015

Being one of the most visited tourist attractions worldwide, with over 21 million visitors in 2013, the Grand Central Terminal in midtown Manhattan is one of the most majestic buildings of the twentieth century. Being enclosed by buildings on all sides, to gain access to the main concourse, people need to travel through a myriad of corridors filled with interesting details of interior architecture. Here you can see a watchface showing Eastern Standard Time and one of the many beautiful chandeliers illuminating the corridors.

-- Gear
Fujifilm X-T1
Fujifilm XF18-135mmF3.5-5.6R LM OIS WR
-- Post
Lightroom : Initial tone, final crop and vignette
Photoshop: Minor clean up and sharpening.
NikCollection Color Efex Pro 4: Toning and Detail extraction