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.