In the last month, I’ve taken over 300 photos of my neighborhood in Queens and around the New York City, and posted them on Istagram, which is a Twitter-type app on the iPhone for photography. Â I’ve also greatly enjoyed seeing the photos of other bloggers also using this iPhone app. Â Instagram is an interesting place to visit, a mixure of professionals and amateurs from around the world, all putting up random photos of their lives in an never-ending stream.
I rarely take photos, even on vacations, but during the last month of photo-taking, I’ve learned some interesting tidbits about myself, the creative act, and YOU, the viewer. Â Maybe I’ll talk about these insights during my next post. Â This exercise has been a lot of fun, even a little sexy. Â Life is interesting, and colorful, so why not capture it in images?
Writing is a different animal. Â Words frequently fail me when I try to recreate the real world on the blank page. Â I hide behind the words. Â But the real world loves the camera. Â It doesn’t play games. Â It begs for our attention, like a spoiled movie star in a low cut dress crying, “Take my photo!”
I suggest you take some photos this weekend, throw some filters on top of them, and publish them on your blog. Â Visual art energizes a different part of the brain.
I don’t know how much longer I will be running around town taking photos, or whether LA will inspire me in the same way, if I end up returning there. Â I like that there is a little story behind each photograph, even when the subject is the most ordinary. Â Especially when the subject is the most ordinary. Â That makes it even more intriguing. Â It’s an important lesson to remember for writing. Â The other photos are on Flickr.
Thanks for writing this. As a fellow word person and bad photographer, I can appreciate that you are scratching a *different* creative itch with this. I do occasionally take pics and list to my twitter stream, but can do it natively in the Twitter app I use, so something is not clicking for me.
But I do love your photos above. The last one is a perfect example how something as ndane as a phone booth (didn’t realize NYC even still had them!) can become art.
You do have a great eye for capturing the feeling of NY. I’ve loved seeing this side of you!
I so wish they’d either release instagram for other phone platforms *cough* palm *cough* or Sprint would pick up an iPhone contract already! Love your pictures, Neil.
These are really, really, REALLY good.
I dig what you’re sayin’ brother!
as I have said to you several times now, you have a great eye
I love that you have gotten bit by the photography bug. I also really enjoy your photos on Instagram. Can’t wait for you to come out here!!
You are doing great with words and images, Neil. I think they play off each other, in a mutually beneficial positive feedback loop.
These are good.
And for some reason I want to run around shouting “I’m Batman!”
You know, I thInk because you work with words your Pictures tell stories in ways another eye would not. and LA would look interesting too so I hope you come back. You are missed. 🙂
I have told you before how much I like seeing Queens through your lens. Keep the photos coming…
Story can be told in many different ways.
I had to take a leave-of-absence from Twitter. The hoopla had gotten to be too much. But instagram? I’ve fallen in love. Your stream is by far my favorite. Oh, how I miss the city.
Oh man, my case of iPhone envy just flared up again and there’s no salve for it!