a few weeks after 9-11. Mom hugs crying daughter
This is at the World Trade Center site a few weeks after the Sept 11th attacks. I grew up in Staten Island NY and saw the skyline just about everyday growing up...
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This is at the World Trade Center site a few weeks after the Sept 11th attacks. I grew up in Staten Island NY and saw the skyline just about everyday growing up. I was in MaryLand at the time and I knew I had to get into the City. Emotions were high with everyone. This scene of a mother comforting her crying daughter shows that emotion well. I took this with a 35mm camera so I had to scan it.
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Jul, 2012Views
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Same photographer See allBehind The Lens
Behind The Lens
Location
This photo was taken outside the safety wall that was build at the World Trade Center site just 3 weeks after the 9/11 attack.Time
This was shot early afternoon.Lighting
Since this is the financial district in Manhattan even in the high noon sun it is dark and dingy because all of the tall buildings. This lighting was particularly bad I remember because most of the windows in the adjacent buildings were shattered from the collapse of the WTC. most of the buildings had a thick plastic covering them. Also the ash and soot from the crumbles concreate was everywhere. the dust was everywhere. I remember my shoes were just covered in grey concrete dust.Equipment
I did not want to take any expensive equipment with me because I knew traveling into the city with 100,000k plus visitors would be too much. I brought a small 35mm camera and true story I used a black and white film that I had purchased in the basement mall of the WTC. I remember visiting because Terrorists tried to tip the building a year before by placing a truck full of explosives in the parking under ground. I thought it as a tribute to use Black and white film that was purchased in the Trade Center. Out of the of the 24 exposures This one was my favorite. Shot hand held at about 28mm and used a 400 grain film from Fuji.Inspiration
Walking around trying to capture the stunned look on peoples faces. Everyone was so upset and yet so patriotic at that point. They were screaming for revenge. I heard this young girl talking to her mother and said mom why did they do this to us. What did we do to them. ( I literally have goose bumps typing this right now). The girl burst out into tears and the mom comforted her. Everyone else looked away and pretended like nothing was happening ( you have to live in this city to understand this). I felt emotional about this but my instinct made me raise the camera and take the shot. I am glad I did because looking at this photo, grainy and soft as it is, reminds me of the emotions I and everyone else felt in the city that day.Editing
No post processing done on this photo. Scanned using a cheap hand scanner and used the file as is. I think I will scan it again with a better scanner and do a little post processing, sharpen, noise reduction, etc.In my camera bag
Generally I now use a Canon 7d and 7D Mk II, I will be getting the 5d Mk IV within the next 6 months. I uses a canon 70 - 200 f2.8 L, canon 24 - 70 f4 L , 50, and 60mm Canon prime lenses and a few others( too many to list all). Back then when this shot was taken, I used a variety of point and shoot digital and an older 35mm Minolta X-700 with motor drive grip. That camera was a go to camera for many years while I served in the Marine Corps and traveled.Feedback
My best bit of advice is, You have to be there. At the right time, at the precise moment. Always keep your eyes open and when you feel some sort of emotion from something envision it as a photo. How would you tell that story. Black and white, long exposure to show movement, close up. macro, wide angle, etc. You decide. The equipment you have is just a tool. As it does help to have the right lenses and what not, but without the vision and thought behind it, then you have taken a picture.....not made a picture.
