Top 10 Photographs of 2016

StreetObservations.com - John Fraissinet - OK, yet again, and for the twelfth year (since 2005 is another way to put it), here I present the Top 10 pictures I've taken during the past year.  

This year, there are actually eleven pictures, but that is only because two of them were taken of the same subject at the same time.  So, let's just say those were two for the price of one.  Usually I have a lot of black and white shots in the Top 10 (although they are always taken in color).  But this year, I have discovered that a majority of them were left in color, as I guess it was a colorful year.     

Usually some of the pictures come from a destination trip, but this year there was no location of consequence that generated a remarkable picture (hopefully the upcoming visit to Hawaii in February will remedy that).  So, in the end, we have 10 (err... 11) shots taken on the streets of Manhattan, all pretty much in the downtown neighborhoods near my work.  

So, here are the Top 10 presented chronologically as taken over the course of the year.  (Click each picture to see it larger). 

1.  Bright Winter (February 5) - Brilliant but harsh light streams from the south causing long shadows along Nassau Street next to the Federal Reserve building.      

Bright Winter

2.  Ember (April 7) - From the overhead window in a Duane Reade pharmacy we look over the historic Trinity Church cemetery.  Alexander Hamilton is buried on the other side of the church.  The girl in red is the flame in the dampness. 

 

Ember

3.  Purple Rain (May 3) - It was less than two weeks past the death of the Artist formerly known as Prince.  The combination of the umbrella and the water reflection brought the title of his song, Purple Rain, to mind. 

Purple Rain

4.  The Fantastic Four (June 14) - Doesn't this group look like a band of super heroes?  Powered by their super cell phones. 

The Fantastic Four

5.  Thumbs Up (June 28th) - The new Oculus train station opened as part of my daily commute.  As section by section of the station was uncovered, the marble shapes presented some geometric designs to photograph from different levels.  Here we see commuters descending into the main hall. I was looking for patterns of people, but found this sign of positivity.

Thumbs Up

6.  97 Degrees (July 22) - This was one very hot day.  I was up on the NYU campus, and I was doing paperwork to become an Adjunct Instructor so I could teach an online course.  (But, not enough students signed up, so the class never happened).   But the trip was worthwhile and brought me the next two pictures.  Here is a timeless shot in Washington Square Park. 

97 Degrees

7.  The Birdman of Washington Square (July 22) - Then across the square, I came across the Birdman.  I had posted a different version at the time (that one was in black and white).  The Birdman worked hard to attract his winged friends he does feed them.  Also, he did not mind at all that people were photographing him. 

The Birdman of Washington Square

8.  Hugging it Out (September 16) - I was taking some pictures of the cube, and these two came along.  Last year I had another cube shot.  Well, it is across the street from my work place. 

Hugging It Out

9.  Politicians, Hot Dogs, a Model and an Anchor (September 29) - Four years ago during the last presidential campaign, I took a picture of some windows, and later found there was an Obama campaign poster rather obscurely located in one of the windows.  It kind of captured the period of time then.  This picture is a grouping of disparate objects including campaign posters capturing another period of time.  The model in red was being filmed by another photographer in a formal shoot.  I just like the randomness of all the items contained in the one picture. 

Politicians, Hot Dogs, a Model and an Anchor

10.  Living on the Edge (November 29) - Here are the two pictures that really count as one, but both would be on the list standing on their own if not for the other.  Just last month, a driving hard rain created a sharp contrast between the darkness and dreariness of the street against the bright inside of the new World Trade Center malls.  The shots are different but are really part of the set. 

Living on the Edge

11.  Against the Wind (November 29) - Here's the second shot, and my favorite shot for the year. 

Against the Wind

So, those are the Top 10 photos for this year.  You can see my selections from some of the prior years here: 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012, 2011, 2010, and 2009.   

As far as my regular activity, if you'd like to follow my work, I continue to post to multiple online sites, Flickr, Facebook, Tumblr and Instagram.  And, for more background about each picture, in this blog (StreetObservations.com).   

A good presentation of my portfolio is available at Smugmug.  There you can even Buy a Photo if you are so inclined (maybe one of these ones).  If you don't see the one you like, let me know and I'll make it available.  And, if you would like to engage me in any paid photo sessions (point of view, headshots, weddings, publicity work), I'd be glad to work with you.     

Happy New Years, and  I am visualizing a fantastic year ahead for everyone.  

Purple Rain

Somewhat in honor of Prince. 

Purple Rain

Ominous

The clouds were passing through preceding the storm.  I thought these clouds were the lowest that I've seen.  

Ominous

Monolith

I actually work in one of these two buildings, but had never really thought previously bout the comparison of the building to the Monolith from "2001: Space Odyssey" until I saw this shot.  

Monolith

The Jug

There is something here, that gives me the feel of a funhouse. 

The Jug

Mirroring

This does remind me a bit of that Marx Brothers movie where Harpo was acting as if he was Groucho as reflected in a mirror.  Someone suggested to me that this was posed.  I couldn't have posed it.   

Mirroring

The Birdman of Washington Square

He loves his birds.  He lures them by feeding them, and they flock to him.... literally.   

The Birdman of Washington Square

The Checkmates

This is one of the very few pictures that I had a title for before I even took the picture. 

The Checkmates

Bright Winter

After the snow melts, it seems that the ground remains bright and your eyes still need to squint.  

Bright Winter

Imposing

I won't say that some buildings are intimidating, but I get this overpowering feel from this view.  

Imposing

The Wizard Lands

Some Wall Street occupant was going to be surprised in short course by a massive delivery of balloons.  There was some negotiation eventually done by the deliveryman when he did approach the door to the right building.  And, he did make several false alarm stops at other doorways.   

The Wizard Lands

Sitting on the Rails

A lunch time break on a cold day at the corner of Wall Street and Broad.  

Suspended on the Rails

The Lunch Buddies

Perfectly in synch, these guys have their lunches.  The larger lunch for the larger guy, the smaller lunch for the smaller guy.  

The Lunch Buddies

The Invisible Man

"I no longer have a need to urinate." 

The Invisible Man

Top Ten Photographs of 2015

StreetObservations.com - John Fraissinet - For the eleventh year (since 2005 if you do the match), I present my Top 10 pictures taken during the past year.  

This year, there are five black and white and five color photos (although one of the color pictures is all gray and looks black and white so I'm not sure how to classify that).    

Seven pictures were taken, as usual, on the streets of Manhattan and three were taken at sea during a cruise to Alaska.  Five are people shots.  That's all of the classification I'll do.  No shots are ever posed by me for this collection, of course.  

So, anyway, here are the Top 10 presented chronologically as taken over the course of the year.  (Click each picture to see it larger). 

1.  Suspended Animation (January 20) - Construction continues on the World Trade Center site.  Cranes move workers into hard to reach places.  In this case, the arm of the crane extends over Church Street and near the work on the spikes of the new Transportation Center.      

Suspended Animation

2.  Careful Steps (February 2) - This is just a few blocks from Wall Street and the Stock Exchange.  I often am amazed by the variety of people who must live in this area.  You can see people walking their dogs and people who no longer need to work.  This is where they choose to live, even when the weather is bad.  

Careful Steps

3.  Cobblehome (March 9) - Snow was still on the ground come March.  And, the puddles reflect back the glow off the buildings of Spring just around the corner.  

Cobblehome

4.  Eskimo Kiss (March 20) - Snow was still falling in late March but only occasionally.  I was in the crowd enjoying the large snowflakes when this couple made their rendez-vous just outside of the PATH train station.

Eskimo Kiss

5.  Free as the Wind (June 8) - Clearly the weather turned for the better when June came around.  The freshness of the air inspired this girl as she crossed Park Place not far from City Hall.  

Free As The Wind

6.  Twin Glaciers (August 17) - This is the first of three pictures taken up north on a trip to Alaska.  This day the ship went through the Tracy Arm Fjord in the early morning.  Watching from a balcony just off my stateroom, I took picture after picture of mountains shrouded in mist.  I didn't think a ship could get this close to glaciers and I had visions of the Titanic.  

The Glacier Twins

7.  Whopper of a Whale (August 17) - Little did we know how rare it was to see Whales breaching like this.  We also saw the Humpbacks bubble feeding.  Our guide, who had lived in Alaska for 15 years, said he only saw that happen twice in all that time.  

Whopper of a Whale

8.  Sailing to Dusk (August 20) - As the sun went down on the last day of our Alaska cruise, we had stopped for the day in Victoria, Canada.  It was a beautiful day, and as we watched the sky turn colors, the sailboats took one last turn before coming back to shore.  

Sailing to Dusk

9.  Film Noir (September 25) - This couple basked in the sunlight, as the strong rays outlined their relationship with strong shadows.  

Film Noir

10.  Roll of the Dice (October 7) - The plaza was generally free of people as this restaurant worker crossed with his red apron matching the red cube.  

Roll of the Dice

Those are the Top 10 photos for this year.  You can see my selections from some of the prior years here:  2014, 2013, 2012, 2011, 2010, and 2009.   Also, if you look back on the blog over the year, you will see some new pictures and little details about how they came to be.

As far as my regular activity, if you'd like to follow my work, I continue to post to multiple online sites, Google+, Flickr, Facebook, Tumblr and Instagram.  And, for more background about each picture, in this blog (StreetObservations.com).   

A good presentation of my portfolio is available at Smugmug.  There you can even Buy a Photo if you are so inclined.  If you don't see the one you like, let me know and I'll make it available.   

Happy New Years, and  I am visualizing a fantastic year ahead for everyone.  

Veering Shadow

The shadow is the star of this picture as he is heading in a different direction from the man.

Veering Shadow

Canal Rubber

I was attracted by the slice of light at first, but then I began to appreciate the details and just massaged the various elements of this picture to expose the soul of Canal Street. 

Canal Rubber

Full Bodied Work

This wall is a natural canvas, I am amazed that someone actually was able to execute this vision and provide the art. 

Full Bodied Work

Saddling Up

Through one of those construction alleys built to protect you, a silhouette takes action. 

Saddling Up

Tour Groups

Mobs of people block the paths of everyday New Yorkers as they slowly move like amoebas through the streets.  They stop and listen to their guides and learn more about the history of the city than those who inhabit it daily. 

The Guide

The Outsiders

26 Broadway