Alone in the Crowd

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The holidays can be an especially lonely time in the city. People bustling about the streets of Manhattan, looking to partake in a holiday spirit that seems ever more elusive. It's not really how they show it in movies, and perhaps it never was. And yet there is something touching to me about these millions of loners seeking connection, as we all are.

Wishing you a warm holiday this season.

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Grand Central Commuter

(Click on photos to make larger.) Like most New Yorkers, I commute to and from work, and all parts of the city, by subway. On occasion my family and I will catch a MetroNorth train to go beyond the city to towns and trails up along the Hudson River. Otherwise, we don't really have occasion to use this train station. I have to say, though, that I've always been envious of the commuters who take the trains coming into and out of Grand Central. Standing in its vast halls and platforms I think of what it must feel like stepping into a train in the late afternoon, and fly past the eastern shore of the Hudson, to later emerge in a small town where the streetlights glow in the dusk. Maybe I'm romanticizing, but still...

Lion Dance 1996

(Click on any image to make larger) The year was 1996, the Year of the Rat. On a brisk February morning, a good friend of mine headed down to Manhattan's Chinatown to take part in the lunar new year festivities. He was part of a martial arts school, and he and the other students were going to perform a traditional lion dance. I tagged along with my Rollei 35 S camera with two or three rolls of black and white film. Back then there were no barriers between the public and the performers. You and everyone else on the street got as close as you wanted to the dancers, and took part in the celebration. People threw strings of firecrackers at the feet of the lions for them to dance over. In return, the lions imparted good luck and prosperity the whole year long. Putting it on... ... and ready to go! See you next year...

On the Way Home: Spring 2023

Musician in Central Park (Click on images to make larger.) Winter time can be rough in the city. The days are short, the weather cold (for the most part in this time of global warming), and the subways crowded with sleepy commuters in heavy down coats. Which is why when Spring rolls around, I like millions of others can't wait be outside to enjoy the parks, or just walk a few extra blocks before descending into the tunnels to catch the train home. For me this is the time of year when I enjoy taking pictures in the streets, and being around my fellow New Yorkers and the tourists who visit us all year round. In this post you'll see pictures I've taken this spring. They've all appeared on my Instagram and Flickr feeds, but I thought it would be nice to collect them all here. So while we look back at this spring, I wish you an enjoyable summer. If you'd like to check out my street photography in real time, you can find me on Instagram @jbasma3 , and Flickr @jbasma . Eve

Olde Style New York

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