L.A.B. Photo-a-Day

Are there really alligators in the sewers of NYC?

2007-06-21T03:59:00.000-07:00

Marcus investigates this unsolved mystery.

Love Will Keep Us Together

2007-06-20T03:46:00.000-07:00

Fifth Avenue, near 9th St., Park Slope, Brooklyn, New York.

Male Model in Training

2007-06-19T03:42:00.000-07:00

This style of street photography is in tribute to joewig, who stealthily wields his camera like a master ninja on the streets of New York.

Broadway, near Prince Street, Soho, Manhattan, New York.

Hey, I love you! Yeah, you!

2007-06-18T20:51:00.000-07:00

[man with crossed arms] "No way, man -- I'm a pitcher, not a catcher!"

Doyers Street, near Pell St., Chinatown, Manhattan, New York.

Jelly Dance

2007-06-17T20:48:00.000-07:00

For perhaps the first time ever, I used the camera-produced JPEG instead of the RAW image. The RAW version had greater dynamic range and practically no noise, but it was bland no matter how I post-processed it.

In contrast, despite the fact that the JPEG has a hugely visible noise pattern and the dynamic range has far less latitude, I found the overall effect to be much more captivating for this particular subject. All I did was just moderately boost color saturation -- and that was it. Funny how these things work out sometimes.

By the way, these jellyfish are from the same display that was in this photo as well.

New York Aquarium, Brooklyn, New York.

Stonehenge on the Hudson

2007-06-16T23:33:00.000-07:00

Battery Park, Manhattan, New York.

Feels Good

2007-06-15T22:31:00.000-07:00

Canal Street, near Baxter st., Chinatown, Manhattan, New York.

Modest Marcus Shows a Little Leg

2007-06-14T23:30:00.000-07:00

Squeaky clean from the bath tub!

Got Gas?

2007-06-13T22:28:00.000-07:00

Fifth Avenue, near 7th St., Park Slope, Brooklyn, New York.

Caught in the Middle

2007-06-12T21:27:00.000-07:00

Broadway-Nassau Street subway station, Manhattan, New York.

Caught in the Rain

2007-06-11T23:43:00.000-07:00

Corner of Fourth Avenue & Ninth Street, Park Slope, Brooklyn, New York.

Puerto Rican Day Parade 2007

2007-06-10T23:37:00.000-07:00

By the time I arrived to photograph the parade on Fifth Avenue, in the Rockefeller Center area, the place area was completely packed and overflowing with spectators (as well as legions of police). So instead I walked around the side streets of the parade route and took pictures of other people who weren't able to elbow their way in, either.

Other photos I took around the parade are here, here, and here.

55th Street, near 5th Ave., Manhattan, New York.

A Big Scare Today

2007-06-09T23:45:00.000-07:00

What started out as a promising day for a Project 365 idea I had in mind quickly got discarded with a terrifying turn of events today.

I normally don't talk about myself in the description of any given image I post, including how I felt before, during, or after I took a photo. Whether I was happy, sad, energetic, lazy, imaginative, unmotivated, or whatever it is I was feeling at the time is something that is ultimately besides the point, since the whole point for me is the photography itself, which also involves sharing, enjoying, and learning from other people's work -- all of which has helped me to grow as a photographer.

However, today, while my parents were visiting, along with my sister and her daughter, my mother had a severe asthma attack right after lunch. It was so severe that parademics had to be called; she could barely breathe. Each minute that passed she panicked more and more, frightening us since we were helpless to do anything until the ambulance arrived.

Ultimately my mother was stabilized, her breathing was restored, and she was able to leave hours later from the emergency room on her own two feet. However, there was a lot of hand-holding and hand-wringing involved, and a crushing sense of guilt that I haven't spent as much time with my own mother as a son should (and by extension, time that Marcus should be spending with his own grandmother). Needless to say, my desire to do anything interesting, clever, insightful, or otherwise different for Project 365 for today became completely nil. Today I was reminded of something far more important: that too often we take things for granted, even the health of those closest to us, and we should make an effort to spend as much time as possible with those people who are closest to our hearts. You never know if suddenly there will be no time left at all, and it shouldn't take a big scare to remind us of the obvious and what is truly important in this short life we have.

Maimonides Hospital, Fort Hamilton Parkway & 49th Street, Boro Park, Brooklyn, New York.

Brooklyn Bridge Sunset

2007-06-08T23:43:00.000-07:00

Hugging and Smooching Imminent

2007-06-07T23:08:00.000-07:00

That stick won't help Marcus defend himself against the inevitable.

Take Pride in Who You Are

2007-06-06T23:44:00.000-07:00

34th Street, between 6th and 7th Avenue, Manhattan, New York.

Striped

2007-06-05T23:37:00.000-07:00

Coney Island - Stillwell Avenue subway station, Brooklyn, New York.

Bony Bum

2007-06-04T23:42:00.000-07:00

If I Had a Million Dollars, I'd Buy You a Green Dress

2007-06-03T23:53:00.000-07:00

(But not a real green dress, that's cruel.)

Mi Patria

2007-06-02T23:37:00.000-07:00

Coney Island, New York.

Waiting for the Next Customer

2007-06-01T23:46:00.000-07:00

Doyers Street, near Pell St., Chinatown, Manhattan, New York.

Having a Seat for the First Time

2007-05-31T22:27:00.000-07:00

Marcus finally figured out how to sit down!

After I demonstrated how it's done, he then proceeded to repeatedly back up to these concrete steps and eased himself down in that funny squat that beginning walkers have. I think that after a few more days of practice, he'll be sitting down like a champ.

Next, how to cross one's legs and hold the taza de cafe just so.

If You Like Someone, Go With Your Gut

2007-05-30T23:33:00.000-07:00

East Broadway, near Catherine St., Chinatown, Manhattan, New York.

...and I swear, it was THIS big!

2007-05-29T23:29:00.000-07:00

"Oh my..."

34th Street, near 8th Ave., Manhattan, New York.

Some Day My Prince Will Come

2007-05-28T23:45:00.000-07:00

The Bronx Zoo, New York.