My first proper experimentation with personal photography was on a July 2023 visit to New York City and Washington, D.C., using a Sony DSC-HX400V ‘bridge’ camera fitted with a Zeiss 2.8-6.3/4.3-215 lens. It would be perhaps generous to suggest that the resultant photos were limited by the inherent shortcomings of a bridge camera, when in reality it was far more my own poor understanding of photography, lighting, shot composition, and editing that forestalled my immediate entry into the Photography Hall of Fame.
Of the 468 photos I took in total, I have selected eight I can stomach exposing to other people. They are split evenly between New York and Washington, and were selected purely on the extent to which I find them aesthetically appealing. My personal favourite is probably my shot of 432 Park Avenue (and an adjoining building I do not know the name of), which combines a satisfying backlight with a particularly pretty sweeping cirrus cloud. I’m also a fan of my (admittedly cliché) shot of the Manhattan Bridge from Dumbo, in Brooklyn, which I believe nicely brings out the colours of both the bridge itself and the brickwork around it, as well as the day’s lighting.
To set the tone appropriately, I have also included three quotes from my personal favourite red-blooded American patriots.
I’ve looked on many women with lust. I’ve committed adultery in my heart many times. God knows I will do this and forgives me.
Jimmy Carter
The view of the Manhattan Bridge from Dumbo, in Brooklyn, has become an iconic image of New York. Unfortunately, owing to the intentional malice of camera-shy city-planners, photographers on Dumbo’s Washington St. can only centre either the bridge between the street’s buildings, or the Empire State Building beneath the bridge itself, and not both. After a few moments of discomfort and resentful trepidation, I went for the latter.
I know the human being and fish can coexist peacefully.
George W. Bush
I should note also that this trip coincided with a sudden, strong, and unexplained aversion to camera grain – and, thus, against the use of higher ISO values. All but one photo here was taken using the camera’s lowest option of ISO 80, manually set and locked. Had I done a moment’s research before bringing out the camera, I would have learned quickly that this is not always the best approach, especially when relying on one of the two semi-automatic priority modes (as I did for much of the trip).
I’m hoping that, having learned this information, I’ll be able to more consciously extract colours from future photos (as well as capture moving subjects with less frustration). This information has also brought me into a far more amicable relationship with the light-meter, which I previously assumed possessed its own personal vendetta against inexperience.
What a waste it is to lose one’s mind. Or not to have a mind is being very wasteful. How true that is.
Dan Quayle
With ISO now more freely at my disposal, I am hoping that I will see less of the blinking of the shutter-speed or aperture indicators, and will be able to expose a general range of my shots more accurately. I’m also hoping to be able to apply this experience to some more street and city photography soon. Wikipedia’s list of most significant photographs is just around the corner. ∎