Blue Skies On A Stroll Through NYC
People watching in Herald Square.
Walking around pre-Covid New York was one of my favorite activities. The city seemed to go on forever and there was something interesting to look at, everywhere. As my old building superintendent’s once said, “Who needs TV when you can come outside and watch this?”
Captured in May 2018, this photo series begins in Herald Square where I met Runstreet founder, Marnie Kunz, for a promotional shoot. At the time, Marnie was sponsored by the fast casual restaurant chain, Honeygrow, and needed a few photos at their Minigrow by Honeygrow location in Midtown.
Runstreet’s Marnie Kunz at Minigrow in Midtown
After finishing up at Minigrow, we walked over to the Flatiron District to run a few errands. During our walk and chat, I snapped taxi cab and intersection shots along Midtown’s bustling avenues.
Yellow taxis along Sixth Avenue with the Freedom Tower peeking out.
Crossing shot looking south on Broadway near the Flatiron Building.
A taxi heads south on Broadway near the Flatiron Building.
Who needs a bike lane?! Yellow taxis and cyclists jockey for road space on Broadway.
After parting ways with Marnie in the Flatiron, I continued down Sixth Avenue to Greenwich Village’s West 4th Street Courts aka “The Cage.”
The West 4th Street Courts are a basketball mecca and one of the best street photography spots in the city, especially during spring and summer. As streetballers battle it out, the crowd looks on with an intensity that’s generally reserved for NBA games. The adjacent West 4th Street Subway-Washington Square Station pours out hundreds of commuters every few minutes, which adds more energy to an already frenetic block.
The highlight of these testosterone-driven photos is a dynamic young woman who holds her own with the men. With a sweet jumper, good rebounding, tough defense and fierce determination, that strong young female streetballer put the guys on notice.
“Who needs TV when you can come outside and watch this?”
Onlookers watch streetball while others make their way along 6th Avenue.
After watching streetball for an hour, I headed over to Brooklyn via the Williamsburg Bridge. My favorite East River crossing, the Williamsburg Bridge teems with commuters, joggers, bikers, skaters, subway trains and ever-changing graffiti, while offering panoramic views of the city’s mammoth skyline.
An M Train crosses the Williamsburg Bridge.
Statement on the Williamsburg Bridge.
Looking toward Manhattan from the Williamsburg Bridge. The Freedom Tower makes another appearance.
After crossing into Brooklyn, I stopped along Broadway to snap a few more photos. South Williamsburg’s mosaic of street art, classic NYC architecture and bridge views are a visual feast.
Bridge views and street art in South Williamsburg.
These photos are a great reminder of a world where we freely ventured around the city, eagerly huddling together at basketball courts, on bridges and in busy shopping districts. Oh, how lucky we were. We’ll get back there.
