Ney York City - during Corona Pandemic. Shoot with film.
Smells, lights, noises, people, cultures – as a melting pot of endless impressions NYC was one of my travel highlights so far.
The January weather could not have been more diverse during this week. Alternating snowfall, icy winds and rain producing various moods, lights, expressions in peoples faces. In Manhattan the sun is mostly hiding between huge skyscrapers, creating stunning reflections in glass facades – A photographers paradise.
Getting out of a cab in the middle of Manhattan for the first time can be overwhelming, especially coming out of pure Bavarian idyl. But sooner than expected NYC totally got you and feels surprisingly homey and small-scaled.
Dimensions first became clear from above: A helicopter flight in the low evening sun was just breathtaking – I have never seen such a huge and widespread accumulation of buildings in my life.
Standing in front of the famous landmarks that I have seen a thousand times in films, photos, magazines or billboards caused almost touching emotions. Especially walking through Manhattan, you never get rid of the feeling of seeing something familiar or famous. And you always wonder how people live in those enormous buildings and created their home in the middle of this bright and loud chaos. I would consider Manhattan as the most impressive district: Skyscrapers, representing success and wealth, next to shabby housings and shops or small picturesque family homes. You can feel the hard work of all social classes - shops and services that are operating 24/7 or late evening lights in office complexes. It is not without a reason that NYC is called “the city that never sleeps”. People from nearly all nations of the world are living in NYC – the variety is noticeable everywhere, a beautiful and photogenic mix of cultural characteristics, faces and food.
And when you finally got used to smoke coming out of the street, accepted the exorbitant prices and found your favorite hot dog stand, NYC spits you out and you are back in your quiet Bavarian idyl like nothing happened. Gained priceless impressions, unique footage and probably some weight.