Karolina: Samba and Chaos in Chinatown, NY 2018
A samba dancer descends upon Lower Manhattan on a late-summer afternoon.
Photographed in the Summer of 2018, Samba Dancer and Stockholm native, Karolina Finskas poses in Soho.
As of 2022, Karolina Finskas is dancing with Dança Global, a Brazilian samba and fusion dance troupe. At the time of this shoot, Finskas was samba dancing at various events around NYC.
Instagram has connected me with a bevy of clients, and few are more memorable than Stockholm-based, part-time NYC resident, Karolina Finskas. A professional samba dancer who tours the Continental Europe, the Caribbean, South America and the US, Finskas’s zest for life and incredible energy resonate whenever I have the pleasure of photographing her.
This series of photos were taken on a balmy late-summer day in 2018. We met on Grand Street in Manhattan’s Chinatown for a one hour promotional photoshoot. Dressed in a vibrant samba costume, Finskas was able to do something that rarely happens: make jaded New Yorkers stop, look and inquire about what we were doing.
The thirsty response of men from various classes and ethnic groups spoke to the universal nature of men. It also illustrated, yet again, the type of harassment and ogling that women experience. I kept the peanut gallery at bay, begrudgingly enforcing a look but don’t dare touch policy to get through the shoot. But my subject definitely didn’t need my protection. With nerves of steel and an unflinching level of focus, the Stockholmer quipped at tongue-wagging bypassers, giving as good as she got. After a few minutes, they took a hint and moved along.
Karolina on Pell St.
Undeterred by the catcalls, she remained camera focused, giving me the ability to capture a series of promotional photos as well as a range of behind the scenes shots of all the chaos.
Karolina Finskas stares down an overly-enthusiastic crowd on Mott Street.
The most memorable moment of the day occurred as we were wrapping up. We strolled over to Mott Street for a series of photos in the midst of a chaotic scene. Finskas’s presence was enough to stop traffic, motivating tourists and locals alike to pull out their phones to snap photos and record videos. Unbothered by the spectacle of it all, she stared down the crowd like a pro. The photo of her standing defiantly on Mott Street remains my favorite shot of the day. Perfectly coiffed and armed with a sense of humor and devil-may-care attitude, Finskas’s strength and ability to command the situation were awe-inspiring.
Labor Day Weekend in DUMBO
One of the city’s more aesthetically pleasing historical districts, DUMBO’s converted warehouses, cobblestone streets, pristine waterfront, and majestic bridge views are immortalized in dozens of films, television series, and classic photographs
Labor Day Weekend in Brooklyn Bridge Park. New York, 2020
Holidays have been a blur in 2020 as COVID-19 continues to alter the ways we mark the passage of time. Labor Day Weekend was different in Brooklyn this year. The annual Jouvert Celebration went virtual and organizers cancelled the West Indian Day Parade. So instead of dancing, people watching, enjoying incredible food, and marveling at the colorful cultural garb, I grabbed my camera and biked to DUMBO.
Parallel Lines: The Manhattan Bridge and Brooklyn Bridge tower over DUMBO. New York, 2020
Brooklyn’s posh waterfront neighborhood was buzzing with activity as locals and a scattering of tourists enjoyed outdoor dining and gathered in Brooklyn Bridge Park. I avoided the area’s busier sections, spending the day admiring architecture on DUMBO’s quieter streets and in nearby Vinegar Hill.
One of the city’s more aesthetically pleasing historical districts, DUMBO’s converted warehouses, cobblestone streets, pristine waterfront, and majestic bridge views are immortalized in dozens of films, television series, and classic photographs. Luckily, the weather was perfect this weekend, bathing the neighborhood in crystal blue skies, warm sunlight, and deep shadows.
City Bikes and the Manhattan Bridge. New York, 2020
The subway trains rumbling over the Manhattan Bridge and boats zipping by on the East River reminded me of simpler times in the city.
Manhattan Bridge. New York, 2020
As I walked around the neighborhood, it felt like any other day. A stop along the river’s pebbled shore offered a stunning glimpse of New York’s impressive skyline. But, COVID-19 was omnipresent, as most people wore face coverings and signs reminded park goers to socially distance and mask up.
A man walks through Brooklyn Bridge Park wearing a mask. New York, 2020
Regardless, I felt better than I have in months by engaging in one of my favorite activities: photographing New York City.
The Ballerina and the City
A photogenic ballerina with classic Hollywood looks, long limbs, exceptional posing skills and an incredible personality, Hannah Kickert is one of my favorite subjects.
Hannah Kickert jumps on the streets of Chinatown. New York, 2018
The photos in this series were taken from 2017-2019. They feature Vienna-based, part-time NYC resident, Hannah Kickert. A photogenic ballerina with classic Hollywood looks, exceptional posing skills and an incredible personality, Kickert is one of my favorite subjects.
Hannah Kicker jumps in the East Village. New York, 2017
We met in 2017 at a Runstreet Art Run in the East Village. I photographed Kickert jumping against a Hektad mural in the First Street Green Cultural Park. The photo went on to become one of my most popular shots.
Hannah Kickert on the promo poster for Runstreet’s Daydream 5K Art Run and Festival. New York, 2018
In spring 2018, I worked with Hannah on a promotional photoshoot for the Runstreet Daydream 5K Art Run and Festival. She performed several jumps while wearing a full costume. Hannah was featured on the primary posters for the event.
Alternate take of Hannah Kickert for the Runstreet Daydream 5K Art Run and Festival. New York, 2018
Hannah contacted me in the summer of 2018 to schedule a fashion photoshoot before she returned to Vienna.
Hannah Kickert photographed in Chinatown. New York, 2018
I recommended shooting in Chinatown and Soho, the same locations for the Karolina Finksas series, as I wanted to see the contrast between two dancers — with distinct performing styles, hair colors and body types — and their respective approaches to the settings.
My favorites from the Chinatown portion of the shoot are these four consecutive frames taken on historic Doyers Street.
Hannah Kickert photographed in Soho. New York, 2018
We walked over to the relatively quieter streets of Soho to take street-style portraits. Hannah swapped out her jeans for cropped shorts.
Hannah Kickert walks in Soho. New York, 2018
Hannah in Soho. New York, 2018
Portrait of a ballerina. New York, 2018
We collaborated again in spring 2019 upon Hannah’s return to New York. The photos were captured a few hours before she flew back to Vienna.
Hannah Kickert in NoLita. New York, 2019
I took several shots of her in subway stations and on the streets of Lower Manhattan. But my favorite photos are of Hannah at the red wall in NoLita and her smiling in Central Park.
Hannah in Central Park. New York, 2019
After wrapping up in Central Park, we walked over to the Upper East Side. Before we parted company, Hannah taught me how to properly pronounce two of her famous countrymen’s names: Arnold Schwarzenegger and Dominic Thiem.
Blue Skies On A Stroll Through NYC
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.
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.