Queens is the most ethnically diverse county in the nation. The 7 train has been dubbed the International express line. It connects Time Square in Manhattan to Main Street in Flushing and has six miles of elevated tracks which pass through some of the most vibrant neighborhoods in Queens.
The experience I had during my photo assignment was wonderful. I got a chance to interact with many kinds of people and explore several different neighborhoods such as Jackson Heights, Flushing and Long Island City. I think Zettl’s lighting and compositional techniques helped enhance my conceptual ideas from the very beginning. I thought about light and shadow in a more technical way than I have before. Keeping in mind Zettl’s descriptions and photo examples of cast shadow, falloff and silhouette lighting allowed me to understand more about some the formalities of photography. Zettl’s ideas informed my work and helped me learn more about my camera and how to get good shots. I think the photograph I’m most drawn to is the one of the man with the blue I love New York T-Shirt. At first he was reluctant for me to take his photo but after a bit of small talk he opened up and allowed me to get the shot. The items on the shelves around him are representative of the culture of his homeland, but the shirt he is wearing proclaims his love for New York.
