Month: October 2015

Value-Added Portraits: Phase 1

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Low Key

In this photo, we have a low key value setting of the corner of an elevator. Although there is some light present here there’s still darkness in the corner that the light doesn’t seem to touch. The mood is sort of eerie. It’s as if something can pop out of there if you look long enough. Also the fact that it’s a dark corner brings a depressing feeling of loneliness.

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High Key

In this photo, we have a high key value setting of a town made out of paper. The pure whiteness of this town, along with the highlight, overpowers the shades of gray and the black around it. The mood is up-beat since this is a light color. If this town was real I feel it would be prosperous since the white draws in attention.

(Total amount of time: 15 minutes)

 

ENG Project #2: Final

New York City is not all city considering Brooklyn, Queens, Staten Island and The Bronx aren’t filled with the skyscrapers and busy streets. Some New Yorkers choose to live the luxurious lifestyle the city part has to offer, while others choose to live less frivolously in the lesser known areas of New York where it is more residential. Each person has a collective experience when being in different parts of the city. Although Manhattan and the Bronx hold contrasting reputations, on Fulton street the juxtaposition of Dr.Jay’s and Banana Republic represent the unification of these contrasting elements.   

Manhattan is the borough that is filled with the interpretation of a utopia. Whitehead would avouch the borough of being notorious by the media as he mentions “ The city has spent a considerable amount of time and money putting the brochure together, what with the movies, TV shows and songs”.  With a cluster of tall buildings, bold bright lights filled with ads, many established name brand stores and famous restaurants altogether it’s no wonder Manhattan gets most of the attention. When thinking of Manhattan most people would think extravagant, stylish, and a place for opportunity. Mostly when people hear New York City they think of the borough Manhattan since it has more of the iconic landmarks that New York City is known for such as the Empire State Building, Central Park, and The Statue of Liberty just to name a few. The rest of the boroughs are not really looked at to be as special even though it is the five boroughs that make up the city as a whole.

However the Bronx would be the polar opposite of Manhattan. When thinking of the Bronx most people would think poor, ghetto, and dangerous. The Bronx is filled with many lesser known small business, smaller apartments and not as much opportunity that Manhattan has to offer. The Bronx is the recognized  birthplace of  hip hop and rap music which made the image of hood that The Bronx is mostly known for. In The Bronx you could most likely get away with crimes such as speeding, stealing and hopping the turnstile at the train station. While Manhattan is seen as a place of welcome , The Bronx is seen as you can’t mess with anyone there without getting mugged or shot. Also The Bronx is known as an impoverished, neglected, and otherwise disadvantaged residential area of a city, usually troubled by a disproportionately large amount of crime.  

 In the borough of Brooklyn there lies a location that brings a feeling of juxtaposition of two boroughs that would be considered polar opposites from one another. Right where Fulton Street and Lawrence Street is located we have two stores known as Dr.Jay’s and Banana Republic right next to each other. Banana Republic is a store that is mainly found the borough of Manhattan. While the store Dr.Jay’s would be mainly found in the borough of the Bronx. These stores serve as representations of these boroughs with their contrast in the looks of these stores, atmosphere, fashion and clientele.

Banana Republic has a gleaming presence with shiny windows and posters of gorgeous models. When entering the store the atmosphere is very welcoming with someone always greeting you at the door. The type of music that plays in this store is a mixture of indie, techno and pop songs. It’s easy to browse through all the clothing items since the store is very spacious. Everything is displayed with a great deal of neatness which give a professional feel. The store has its own established name brand clothing and does not sell other brands. The fashion has a sophisticated, elegant vibe to it with having dresses, blazers, pashmina scarves, cardigans and leather shoes. This vibe is incorporated for both men and women. The mannequins themselves have a spotlight that is shine down upon them to lure in the customers. The clientele that this store mainly attracts is mature, high-class shoppers who would pay a great deal of cash for a chic look. With this clientele, Banana Republic is very fitting in Manhattan with the frivolous spenders.

Dr.Jay’s has a more laid back presence with mostly hoodies and sneakers being displayed on the first floor. Dr.Jay’s is made up of two sub stores which is their men’s and women’s sections. When entering the store the atmosphere seems to be more cautious with security asking for your bag. Also their jewelry is locked in a glass container which has to be opened by an employee. The type of music that plays in this store is mainly hip-hop and rap. It’s really hard to browse through the clothing since each section of clothes is cluttered in. The store sells other name brands such as Jordan’s, Nikes, Adidas and Rocawear instead of having its own. The fashion is heavily influenced by the hip-hop and rap industry with items such as hoodies, snapbacks, baggy jeans, big gold chains and t-shirts with imagery. This imagery for men mostly consists of smoking marijuana, dollar signs and women being portrayed as sex symbols. The women’s section mainly consists of jeans that hugs tightly to the body to show their lady curves and tank tops that is really revealing. The clientele that this store mainly attracts is adolescence and young adults who wants to have a hood look which is portrayed as looking low class. With this clientele, Dr.Jay’s is very fitting in the Bronx since it is where hip-hop and rap originated from.

This location shows the diversity of what New York is known for by showing people in business suits going about their day with people dressed in hoodies and sneakers. McGrath expresses his character’s excitement for such a overlap by having him exclaim “There’s the interface!” when coming across a man wearing a yarmulke talking to two colored men. This excitement makes the character feel as though his exploration through the city is more fulfilling for having such an experience. In this location it would feel as though people with their own vision of New York intertwine and make a new vision that could expand both of their views on New York as a whole. Each individual who have visited New York City has their own experience of what New York is to them. New York City is the place to expands one vision on a diverse level.

Works cited

Whitehead, Colson. “City Limits.” The Colossus of New York: A City in Thirteen Parts. New York: Random House, 2004. 1-12. Web.
McGrath, Charles. “A Literary Visitor Strolls in From the Airport.”
The New York Times, December 6, 2006. Web.     

Project #2: Final

New York City is often considered to be one of the largest and most diverse cities on the planet. Its reputation consists of a luxurious and beautiful city, with opportunities at every corner, as it’s been portrayed through all types of media throughout the world for many many years. However, an actual New Yorker would know that New York is more than that. For every single individual who lives in this grand city, New York is different. Its unique to the eyes of every person who views it. As Colson Whitehead states in City Limits, “The New York City you live in is not my New York City.” Though some bask in the luxury and a higher standard of living, there are also those who work and struggle, and take refuge in the lesser known parts of New York. Any two individuals who are in separate parts of the social ladder would have a different view of the city they live in, and would most definitely see New York different than anyone who does not reside here.  Interestingly enough, there are many neighborhoods and areas where an individual can actually physically see the overlapping of social classes, where there is a distinct juxtaposition of a more lower class and a higher class. Once instance of this can be seen in a particular location by Jay Street, at the corner of Prince Street and Myrtle Avenue.

In this particular location, there are many large buildings surrounding it. These buildings are mostly corporate and business, and are made up of mostly glass and steel. The street and area surrounding these buildings are very clean and well kept. You would hardly be able to find a piece of litter or garbage. Very important people walk up and down these streets, wearing fancy business suits and carrying briefcases and such. There is also lots of construction going on in this area, as there are many projects for even bigger buildings. This gives the area a distinct smell of sawdust and burning materials. It also makes the area very loud, of course. With all kinds of heavy machinery and equipment being utilized, it would be expected. One would notice it instantly upon walking here. However, upon walking across a single street, you would be stepping into a completely different environment. Located in the same area, there is a large community of housing complexes. or Projects as many New Yorkers refer to it as. This area contrasts drastically with its neighboring place. These tenements are run down with age and are not nearly as well kept. There is lots of garbage and residue littering the street up and down, and there are also large dumpsters behind each complex, giving the area an unpleasant smell of waste. This is the “New York” that many never view, and is more a part of a lower class residents vision of the City.

What’s interesting about this particular location is the juxtaposition it holds. Its a very contrasting one, and its very clear to distinguish as well. Literally, one can see both of these areas side by side, by standing at the corner of these two streets. Its an even intersection. Its a perfect example of how New York City is different for everyone. There are individuals who live here who don’t even know that such places even exist, for they have their own view of the city, as they have seen it their entire life sometimes. Then there are those who parts of New York like this one are their entire reality, and is their vision of it. One person might be accustomed to having their morning coffee at a place like Starbucks, while another would go to the bodega at the corner. One might have memories of growing up playing in Central Park during the summer, while others remember playing in the fire hydrant with the other neighborhood kids. These types of contrasts are mostly founded on the grounds of social class. People who reside in the higher class will always have a different vision and reality than those in the lower class, especially when residing in a place like New York City. Same way those who do not live in the New York have a distinct vision of it as well, as they have only seen it through Television or other kinds of media. Though social classes is only one of the endless number of factors that contribute to a persons “personal New York” This is what makes New York City so unique to every single individual. As Colson states in City Limits, “You begin to build your own private New York the minute you lay eyes on her.” If you were to ask anyone what New York was to them, every answer would be different. And for an infinite number of factors. One could even consider this the true definition of being a New Yorker.

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Project #2 (Final)

     Have you ever been to any other borough other than Manhattan? Many of us are afraid to take a step forward to the unknown place that we have never set our foot on. What if there is an opportunity opened up before our eyes? Would you take a chance to discover something you haven’t encountered? People see unusual things such as an expensive store like Swarovski jewelry store next to an Off Price Fashion Outlet, which is a store you can get cheap clothes. Although, Manhattan consumers know areas to get specific cheap and expensive items, Brooklyn consumers get the overlap of the contrasting elements.

      Brooklyn is one of the five boughs that represents New York City. It combines with many mixed society that expresses equality toward the people and their culture. In Brooklyn, there are many stores that have different backgrounds which is nothing like what we see in other boroughs of New York, includes Manhattan, Queens, Bronx, or Staten Island. Stores in Brooklyn is where different boroughs are collided together, meaning stores from Manhattan can be found in Brooklyn next to stores from Bronx. It makes a whole new mixed borough that does not identify difference in people nor their social class and culture. Most of the stores are differentiated by cheap and expensive, the element of juxtaposition of the costs where stores contrasts each other. There are many stores on Fulton Street that has an example that shows the juxtaposition of cheap and expensive stores. The article, “City Limits” by Colson Whitehead, states that “You start building your own New York the first time you lay eyes on it” and it is indeed true. Colson explains how every person who lives or visits New York gets a different thoughts on the city. Since every person’s perspectives are different, it changes the point of view on the city; Noticing the overlaps around the different boroughs when they visit. One of the example is, there is a Off Price Fashion Outlet, where you can get cheap clothes next to an expensive Swarovski jewelry store. This weird combination of stores next to each other makes this borough unique. Another example of juxtaposition where time overlaps is; there was a T-mobile store in Fulton Street, however within a few days the store was already empty and the sign were gone. This kind of phenomenon happens where your memory thinks that “It was just there a few days ago” this is something that we don’t see everyday, other than Brooklyn.

      On the other hand, Manhattan is an interesting that is most known for the reputation of New York City. Times Square, which is in Manhattan is a very famous place that everyone knows about it, if you are currently living in New York City or if you hear the city’s name. This place intrigues people by the lights of the Broadway shows, TKTS known as ticket booth, Empire State Building, Central Park, the ball drop on New Years and it is called the place where beginning of fashion started. Instead of having stores mixed like in Brooklyn, Manhattan is divided into two parts that shows the example of juxtaposition. Manhattan is divided into West and East sides, they are different in which people believe that expensive stores are located in the east side and cheap stores are located in the west side where more people can afford. This statement may not be true, many people know when they reach to a certain areas that they come across are different. Example of juxtapositions between cheap and expensive stores in Manhattan is a lot similar in Brooklyn, however same stores in costs are located in the same areas.

      Comparing the borough between Brooklyn and Manhattan, it is shown that Brooklyn borough are more mixed in society. There is no difference in social class with the store management where everything have to be the same. Each store are different but in the same location. Because of these stores are arranged, it focuses on the client-tell feel more comfortable walking the place they are familiar. Brooklyn makes the people feel welcome and to show that there is no difference in their background stories. An example is Swarovski, an expensive jewelry store that is usually found in mid-town Manhattan. However, was found in Brooklyn where the store was next to an Off Price Fashion Outlet store, where you can get cheap clothes. This historic symbol of an swan and its name itself represents their example of elegance and beauty, it also makes the store to stands out what is around it. From the article “City Limits” by Colson Whitehead, states that “… started to wonder why some sidewalks sparkle at certain angles, and others don’t”, Colson clearly conveys how people do “wonder” about the difference of cheap and expensive stores in juxtaposition. These example shows the different juxtaposition of overlapping costs in cheap and expensive.

      When there is a opportunity opened up, take the chance where they show the different part of city that you have not seen before. Manhattan can be a place that is intriguing, because of the Broadway shows, TKTS known as ticket booth, Empire State Building, Central Park, the ball drop on New Years and it is called the place where beginning of fashion started. However, Brooklyn represent something more and unique that shows other people from the borough to understand their difference that are congenial to them. Places like Brooklyn, it makes you think that you just teleported to a different part of New York City, by only taking a few steps.

English Project: FInal

 

New York city is known as one of the fastest developing cities in the world. Everything is being ‘modernized’ as time passes by. In the novel The Colossus of New York by Colson Whitehead says “our streets are calenders containing who we were and who we will be next…One day the city…will be gone, and when it goes we go. When the buildings fall, we topple, too.” I agree with this because the city that we live in gives us memories. Our lives develops around the memories we create and the memories are all created in the city we live in. The old buildings that held hundreds of thousands of memories for people are being replaced by building that are yet to create more memories and experiences for the people. But they will never create memories for the locals. Most of them will never see any of the rooms inside the new building. It’s for the tourists to look and the riches to live at. They will create their memories here. They will be here with their Polaroid cameras taking pictures of the hundred stories tall buildings and one day when they are old they will found a piece of picture fall out of some old things they’ve never touch for years. And when they look at it they will feel nostalgic. “I remember those days in New York.” They’ll think. That’s memory. Old memories are getting destroyed to build new ones.

Although the Toren Condominium is one of the most significant skyscrapers of New York,  it’s taking away attention, and business from the small building that is located right behind the Toren and making it hard for the people that works there to make money.

 

While I was walking down the street I saw an enormous building which is known as the Torren building. It looks very new and futuristic but it doesn’t quite fit into neighborhood it’s at. It’s like a giant five hundred feet man in the village where normal people lives. In order to get to the Toren building you have to walk out of the Namm building of city tech and turn left. walk till you hit the the street. The street is very busy most of the time. It’s the Tillery street. On the other side of the road there’s a park with a handball court, a basketball court and a soccer field. Walk straight for a few block to the Myrtle avenue at flatbush. There you will find the skyscraper. It’s tall. It’s very eye catching with the glass walls and the waves. It’s called the Toren Condominium. It’s a building that provides luxurious condos for people to live at. The prices for a condo ranges from about five hundred thousands U.S. dollars to one million nine hundred and fifty thousands U.S. dollars. But as you walk pass the building stop for a minute. There you will see a small two floor building. It’s made up of office spaces. The building looks torn or faded compared to the shiny building. Toren Condominium is one of the largest skyscraper in New York city. It’s very beautiful and eye-catching. When you pass by the building it’s hard not to pick your head up and look at the building for a second. If you grab a brochure of the New York City that was created as a guide or the tourists the building is probably there. But the little buildings are remained invisible to all.

The Toren Condominium is used by mostly people from upper class. Most of those people have a good job where they doesn’t need to worry about money. They are living in a big comforting big house so it can be assumed that they also owns their own car for their traveling . They doesn’t have to worry about taking care of their family. They’re kids are most likely to go to a private school. They don’t see themselves at a financially unstable position in anytime soon.

The building behind the Toren building is a  small buildings that is no more than two floors tall. They are either small businesses or office space. People that works there are mostly from the middle class families. They probably doesn’t have a fancy place to live at. They are more likely to use the public transportation. Their kids goes to public schools for education. Their kids are not planning to go to a private college not because they are not good enough to get into one. It’s mostly because they can not afford to pay for a good private college or live at a campus.  They barely have any savings for the future. A huge part of their earning goes to their landlords for the rent. After paying the rent and buying a metro-card what they have left is enough to get by for the month.

But the building that became invisible under the shadow of the Toren is unknown. Nobody takes a second to stop and observe it. Maybe one day he past it was known as a point of intersection what everyone used as a guide to their destination. It’s not just that one building. The small building behind the Toren suffering because of the Toren. The became became invisible under the shadow of the Toren. People that works at that office building  probably hadn’t seen the sunlight since the day the Toren condominium was built . The smalls businesses that rented out the space mustn’t doing any good business because their business is not up on the internet. They are still old school business that only gets the clients their workers brings by. There are barely any new customers. But they have every good relation with the customers they already have. Those people are coming for their services for a long time. And since their clientele are also from the same class as they are, they can relate to each other. That is something the people living at Toren doesn’t have. If something breaks down in their apartment they have to take care of it by themselves. If something goes wrong in the building, instead of talking it out with the building managements the condo owners calls their lawyer so they can find a way to get some money off of the situation. If a neighbor is yelling, instead of checking on them they will call the police. They are cold hearted. They can not relate to other people around them. In the novel The Colossus of New York by Colson Whitehead says “…New York will go on without us.” I agree with this because it will. It always has. The city changed as the people changes. It evolves around the people that makes the city beautiful. And mostly importantly it knows how to let go of and forget the people that makes the city looks ugly. It slowly turns it’s face to the wealthier community in the city for it’s own benefit. 

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