Self Reflection

The things is, with photographing such an open and vast place like New York, is that you have to be realisitically careful.

It's almost too easy to photograph what you'd first percieve as everything- Times Square, Brooklyn Bridge, The Statue of Liberty etcetera.

But is this truly everything?

To truly document the realities of such an openly vast place is to truly define the characteristics of, if not all, a set group of people living there. When you can truly place your camer's viewfinder through the eyes of these people only then can you say that you've provided a real and true representation of the place around you- be it a city or not.

After visiting New York three years ago and then coming back and instead staying with art students I've returned with a better understanding of, only some, of the life and culture. I've realised some of the truth to the city.

At least from my american mirror image of art students anyway.

In regards to the work produced I do believe I could have shot more but not much more regarding truthful representations.
Like the link below I caught video footage of the masses of toursists/new yorkers (mine in times square) along with portraits of people I'll never see again.

But I question the footage- who are these people? where are they from? what are their stories?
Click on the link below- 5.28 for portrait footage- full appreciation only to watch it all.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fx3voBJZLns

My own work to follow shortly...

Okay so far..... (beginnings) I'm using both my Dslr and 6x7 film camera. Below are some of the frames from my film shotsx The digital and video footage will be edited and shown to lecturer's at uni in due time x

some of the frames sadly fogged and; without so, would have been great shots =( this does however help for me to evaluate and better my following shotsx

Most of the photography is of the east village in Manhatten - away from times square where only  commercialism (and a fake sense of reality) seem to roam. I've decided to photograph real new york along with real new yorkers- other than the students- hence my title "the city's just outside" meaning there's; from experience so far, a sense of homeliness and community in the lesser busy parts of new york where the heart of the city is only a few blocks away.