I thought I would try something that might be fun, and make the site a bit more interactive. I’m going to open myself up to requests.

So, if there is something in New York City that you would like to suggest I shoot and post on the site, leave it here in a comment. If you want to second or third a suggestion somebody else made, feel free to do that. If you want to make more than one suggestion, that’s OK also.

I will maintain absolute discretion as to whether to take any suggestion, but here are some useful ideas and guidelines.

  • I am willing to go to all 5 boroughs. Don’t limit yourself to Manhattan. I’ll even consider locations outside the city but reasonably close.
  • You can suggest landmarks, specific buildings, types of buildings, bodies of water, streets, intersections, pieces of public art, parks, churches, synagogues or other houses of worship, specific stores, types of stores, and so on.  Did your grandfather grow up in Brooklyn?*  If you know the address, or at least the street or block, leave it in a comment and I will try to get to it.
  • Do not limit yourself to specifics. You can also ask for categories or broad concepts, such as a firehouse in Queens, a commercial avenue on Staten Island, a barber shop in the Bronx, etc.
  • I’ll decide how to process, such as whether an image should be black and white, HDR, stylized or realistic. That said, feel free to suggest specific points of view, such as a close-up of the side of the Empire State Building instead of the iconic top, so you can’t tell what building it is. Or maybe you want to see the back side of the Flatiron building that nobody ever photographs.
  • Specific events are allowed, but it’s easier if I do not have to be at the location at a specific date or time, and therefore more likely to be something I will try to do.
  • You can suggest something I have already covered, and I’ll try to handle it differently this time, or feel free to suggest a particular point of view as noted above.
  • I’m currently interested more in locations and scenes than street photography ideas.
  • I do not as a rule break in to buildings or grounds where I am not allowed, and I won’t do something that does not feel safe.

I will try to prioritize suggestions in the order which they come in, but that will also depend on the location, whether I have to research first, where I will be travelling otherwise, and the opportunity to combine that shot with other interesting subjects.

Let’s see how many suggestions or requests we can generate and I’ll try to work them in at a reasonable pace, maybe one per week.

*  Sometimes it seems like everybody has a relative who grew up in Brooklyn.

This Post Has 15 Comments

  1. Justin

    11 Jul 2011 Reply

    Awesome, this should be fun. As for places in NY that I would like to see, how about something simple like the best bagel shop you know. Then something grand like the Waldorf?

    No rush man, but if you are near one, that would be cool

    1. Mark

      11 Jul 2011 Reply

      Thanks for getting me started Justin. Those are both great suggestions. Going forward, I probably will not respond to comments here so as to avoid clutter, but I will try to thank everyone in a personal email.

  2. Toad Hollow Photography

    11 Jul 2011 Reply

    This is great Mark. I have always really loved Dave Letterman and would love to see a shot of the Ed Sullivan Theater where he tapes. I’ll definitely keep this new direction in mind and if I can think of anything else to request, I’ll definitely pop back ’round my friend.

  5. HDRdave

    22 Aug 2011 Reply

    Photograph the exterior of 291 fifth avenue…if it’s still there, google map only has fuzzy pics…it is the location of Steiglitz’s gallery in the early 20th century

  7. Guille

    26 Feb 2012 Reply

    I think that you could photograph the advance in the new world trade center
    I’m also in love with the beekman building so if you could picture that I’d really thank you!!!
    You’ve got an amazing blog, keep like that!!

  8. frankie

    7 Jun 2012 Reply

    Shoot the block where Miles lived in Brooklyn,
    Blue Note Jazz Club on W.3rd Street,
    JMR music/electronic store.
    Maybe even a shot of the UN headqtrs.
    thanks for great shots.

  9. Mona c

    4 Feb 2013 Reply

    Bamontes restaurant and our lady of Mt Carmel church, greenpoint,Brooklyn

  10. Anthony

    5 Feb 2013 Reply

    Hi,

    I am an art director for penguin group USA. We are doing a book cover and would like to try to use one of your images of CLAIR-V-OYANT for a book cover. I would need to work on the window because we would need to put the title there instead of the shop name. Do you think that would be ok.

    Please drop me an email.

    Thanks

    Anthony

  11. Cha Main Smith

    19 Jul 2013 Reply

    Hi, Mark I live in the Bronx and I’m getting married next year mid summer I was wondering if you could tell me of some spot where I can take nice wedding pictures in the Bronx by Parkchester and Crotona Park areas. Thank you. Love your pictures you open my eyes for my home.

  14. Patsy

    22 Apr 2016 Reply

    That’s an iniegltlent answer to a difficult question xxx

Leave a Reply

CommentLuv badge

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Close Menu