ultimate step
Tuesdays are a season all their own.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
During these pandemic months, when I’ve gone out for my constitutional walks, my toes have been generally pointed towards the Newtown Creek industrial business zone. The reasoning behind that is that a) I’m obsessed, and b) people and cooties.
People are infested with viruses, and therefore if I go to places with few or no people I’m less likely to contract a respiratory plague. I know, this sounds crazy to you Liberpublicans or Republitarians, but I’ve given up trying to convince ideologues about anything of late. If you don’t believe in COVID, don’t worry, the virus believes in you. I know 50-60 people who have had it, and by all reports – the experience is quite unpleasant even if you don’t die. Mazel Tov.
A new skill I’ve developed, thereby, during this interval is the ability to completely avoid all other human beings – even when passing through a fairly densely populated area like the 31st street/Hoyt Avenue corridors here in Astoria. I’ve become like a phantom in a black raincoat, a specter visible only to the wackadoodles.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
My goal for this particular evening was to randomly point the new camera at different spots around the neighborhood for a bit, and then set up the tripod at Astoria Park’s Shore Road in pursuance of “getting technical” while photographing the wonders of the Hell’s Gate section of the East River.
Along the way, I spotted these two homes sporting rather tasteful holiday decorations, a fine example of what I call “ChristmAstoria.” As a note, I’m always rather uncomfortable when photographing somebody’s home. It would likely freak me out if I saw some ghostly creature in black taking pictures of HQ.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
If you’re wondering what I mean by “getting technical,” the shot above isn’t it. These were all handheld shots in today’s post, whereas the ones you’ll see tomorrow and Thursday were a bit more intentional in terms of composition and camera technique.
Pictured above is the Hell Gate Bridge in the distance, with a section of the Triborough Complex’s East River Suspension Bridge visible at top.
Note: I’m writing this and several of the posts you’re going to see for the next week at the beginning of the week of Monday, December 21st. My plan is to continue doing my solo photo walks around LIC and the Newtown Creek in the dead of night as long as that’s feasible. If you continue to see regular updates here, that means everything is kosher as far as health and well being. If the blog stops updating, it means that things have gone badly for a humble narrator.
“follow” me on Twitter- @newtownpentacle
Buy a book!
“In the Shadows at Newtown Creek,” an 88 page softcover 8.5×11 magazine format photo book by Mitch Waxman, is now on sale at blurb.com for $30.
inevitable razing
Merry Monday, true believers.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
Recent endeavor found one wandering about the Astoria section of Queens. While I was waiting for the N train pictured above to enter the frame, some fellow walked up to me and said “excuse me.” Figuring that he was about to ask for directions, I said “yeah, wassup.” The fellow then informed me of his nationality – Egyptian – and that he was hated by the local population of both his nationality and by those Astorians who originate from the nation of Morocco. He continued on, informing me that the North African community of Astoria had forced him to move out of the neighborhood some eight times, and that he intended on buying a gun which he would use to shoot precisely fifty people in pursuit of vengeance for his suffering. I let him know that I thought this was a bad plan and that he should rethink things.
I then said “if you’ll excuse me, I have to take a picture of that train,” which seemed to form a good enough or acceptable excuse for me to stop talking to him. He continued along 31st street in a generally southern direction, whereas I headed north and then west after capturing the image above.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
“Wackadoodle” is the word one such as myself uses to describe the inebriates and sanity compromised creatures of the street I often encounter. 99% of the time, wackadoodles are entirely harmless and fairly sympathetic creatures. You have to worry about the 1%, but part of the skill set of a New Yorker can be described as being “teflon” and not allowing anything to stick to you.
Just the other night, there was a superficially East Asian and quite middle aged woman who was pushing three loaded shopping carts down Northern Blvd. She would move one of the trio of carts forward while laughing maniacally, then as she walked backwards to move the next cart her exhortation mimicked the “caw caw” sound of gulls. Forward motion saw a return to hilarious and somewhat maniacal cackling. By “maniacal cackling” I mean literal the “HA HA HA heh HA Ha” sort of laughter, which was audible some two blocks away.
Wackadoodles abound.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
One has been looking over his shoulder more often than usual in the last few months. There’s a lot of desperation out there in the world right now, and a significant population of people who struggle with their sanity under the best of circumstances are drowning right now under all of the stressors introduced by the pandemic. Wish I could say I’m being paranoid, or succumbing to my own psychological and mental handicaps, but I’m not.
As a note, long time friends will tell you that a humble narrator is an absolute magnet for the wackadoodles. For one reason or another, I seem to be considered quite approachable by these folks. I’ve had to develop a series of ” Teflon dodges,” accordingly.
My favorite one is to say “Listen, they’re watching and videotaping me right now bro, get the eff out of here before they recognize you too.” “The President has his hand in my pocket, yo.” That usually gets me a knowing look or a wink, and the wackadoodle wanders off, feeling that he’s met a comrade in arms.
Note: I’m writing this and several of the posts you’re going to see for the next week at the beginning of the week of Monday, December 21st. My plan is to continue doing my solo photo walks around LIC and the Newtown Creek in the dead of night as long as that’s feasible. If you continue to see regular updates here, that means everything is kosher as far as health and well being. If the blog stops updating, it means that things have gone badly for a humble narrator.
“follow” me on Twitter- @newtownpentacle
Buy a book!
“In the Shadows at Newtown Creek,” an 88 page softcover 8.5×11 magazine format photo book by Mitch Waxman, is now on sale at blurb.com for $30.
something monstrous
Friday
– photo by Mitch Waxman
Gas Stations, as previously mentioned, are sort of grabbing my attentions when I’m out with the camera lately. Partially, it’s because I have a new camera I’m still getting used to, one which offers a tremendous advantage in terms of “dynamic range” over my old one. Difficult subject matter like a gas station at night is precisely the sort of thing I’m looking for when out scuttling in the night. Also, they look cool, and last year I didn’t have any in my library when a well known stock photo agency put out the call for images of them.
The Mobil station pictured above is found on Astoria Blvd. South, at 44th street.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
Astoria Blvd. was recently paid some attention by a humble narrator, in my role as the Transportation Committee Co-Chair of Community Board 1. Specifically, the area I inspected and photographed in minute detail was the stretch of Astoria Blvd. between 33rd and 49th streets. There’s a whole lot of stuff that I encountered which confirms that the last time anyone took a holistic look at this stretch was in the 1960’s.
This subject is something which the Committee voted to spend some of our organizational time on, and hopefully we can find ways to improve road conditions for all users of this particular stretch in the ancient village. There’s entire 2-3 block long stretches, such as the pedestrian bridge between 46th and 49th streets on Astoria Blvd. South, where there aren’t even functioning street lights. Grrrr.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
Another Gas Station, this one found on Astoria Blvd. South and 31st street. These little puddles of light and saturated color just fascinate me at the moment. Expect more loving shots of them in the next few months. Hey… it’s wintertime during a pandemic.
Back next week with something different, at this – your Newtown Pentacle.
Note: I’m writing this and several of the posts you’re going to see for the next week at the beginning of the week of Monday, December 14th. My plan is to continue doing my solo photo walks around LIC and the Newtown Creek in the dead of night as long as that’s feasible. If you continue to see regular updates here, that means everything is kosher as far as health and well being. If the blog stops updating, it means that things have gone badly for a humble narrator.
“follow” me on Twitter- @newtownpentacle
Buy a book!
“In the Shadows at Newtown Creek,” an 88 page softcover 8.5×11 magazine format photo book by Mitch Waxman, is now on sale at blurb.com for $30.
poisoning efforts
Thursday
– photo by Mitch Waxman
Continuing the night time exploration of the Montauk Cutoff abandoned rail road tracks in Long Island City, this shot focuses in on the Borden Avenue “retractile” bridge. A common sight in Chicago and Pittsburgh, there are only two retractile type bridges in NYC, the other one is found at the Gowanus Canal at Carroll Street. “Retractile” means that the entire roadway is on tracks, and retreats away from its piers to allow maritime traffic to pass through. This is in opposition to the more common form of movable bridge, commonly called a drawbridge, wherein single or double bascules are opened or closed on hinges.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
It was getting late when my little party and I decided to start making our way back to the Skillman Avenue side of the Montauk Cutoff. Along the way, I was clicking the shutter every few steps, trying to record some of the amazing urban landscape I was seeing. This was hardly the first time I’ve been up on the cutoff, of course, but I rarely go up here at night without company.
In recent months, the streets surrounding the Montauk Cutoff have become somewhat “crimey,” so discretion being the better part of valor I decided to ask a couple of pals to come along and provide me with “back.” Better safe than sorry.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
There’s quite an effort underway at the moment to organize this abandoned series of tracks into a public space. I, for one, can’t wait to be able to bring people up here legally. As far as who owns the place, it’s the MTA.
The MTA is… well, it’s the MTA.
Note: I’m writing this and several of the posts you’re going to see for the next week at the beginning of the week of Monday, December 14th. My plan is to continue doing my solo photo walks around LIC and the Newtown Creek in the dead of night as long as that’s feasible. If you continue to see regular updates here, that means everything is kosher as far as health and well being. If the blog stops updating, it means that things have gone badly for a humble narrator.
“follow” me on Twitter- @newtownpentacle
Buy a book!
“In the Shadows at Newtown Creek,” an 88 page softcover 8.5×11 magazine format photo book by Mitch Waxman, is now on sale at blurb.com for $30.
scuttled across
Wednesday, Montauk Cutoff.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
As mentioned yesterday, recent adventure found me on the Montauk Cutoff tracks in Long Island City well after sunset. What drew me up there is the renewed effort on behalf of Newtown Creek Alliance to activate these abandoned rail road tracks as public green space. Imagine it, if we could add the roughly four acres of space up here to your portfolio of “places to go” in LIC?
Currently, visiting this spot is considered illegal trespass by the Governmental entity which owns it, specifically the MTA. Consider these photos my confession.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
The Montauk Cutoff leads to an inactive railroad bridge called Cabin M, which crosses the Dutch Kills tributary of Newtown Creek near its intersection with the main stem of the waterway. Just to the south, and pictured above, is a very active rail road bridge called DB Cabin, which connects the Wheelspur and Blissville Yards of the Long Island Railroad’s Lower Montauk tracks over the water.
As I tell everyone, there’s stupid – risking arrest for trespass on inactive tracks – and then there’s stupid – risking getting squished by a freight train by walking on active tracks. The former falls under the “ya plays ya cards, ya takes ya chances” whereas the latter is just dumb.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
Looking roughly northwards towards the Borden Avenue Bridge and the Long Island Expressway at Dutch Kills, that’s how I would describe this shot to an editor.
I ran a daylight version of this a couple of weeks ago, and made a point of mentioning the huge number of inactive yellow cabs being stored here. The pathway along the Borden Avenue Bridge is one I’ve been positively haunting throughout the pandemic. It feels like I’ve been in this area at least once a week since March.
Note: I’m writing this and several of the posts you’re going to see for the next week at the beginning of the week of Monday, December 14th. My plan is to continue doing my solo photo walks around LIC and the Newtown Creek in the dead of night as long as that’s feasible. If you continue to see regular updates here, that means everything is kosher as far as health and well being. If the blog stops updating, it means that things have gone badly for a humble narrator.
“follow” me on Twitter- @newtownpentacle
Buy a book!
“In the Shadows at Newtown Creek,” an 88 page softcover 8.5×11 magazine format photo book by Mitch Waxman, is now on sale at blurb.com for $30.
The Newtown Pentacle 