This is my favorite place to go to on Monday’s. Every Monday is my long day at city tech, I come in very early and don’t leave until late. So when I have my midday break I go by the water to Keep myself calm and relaxed so I don’t stress out in my classes. The view evokes this emotion in me that makes me feel at peace and at that moment it really feels like nothing can go wrong. I prefer to go when it s not cloudy so I can see the top of the tall buildings. Also the sound of the water and the sights of the boats really just makes me feel peaceful.

Astoria Queens NY, Jan 2017

This picture was taken in early morning of January, 2017 on 41st on the busy streets of Astoria. This colored image shows the Architecture of the buildings and landscapes of my neighborhood’s crowded streets and the line of vehicles parked at the side walks. As you zoom this image, you come across the realization of many geometric shapes such as squares, circles , etc. It deeply shows the place of my childhood, where I moved to at 11 years old and reminds me of my early days adjusting to the city of New York . I always refer back to this image since its an inspirational view of my upbringing. Experiences taken place in this neighborhood taught me variety of things such as being responsible, moving forward, having a strong work ethic and the fact that I overcame so many hardships. Moreover, just the fact that the image is a self reflection of the encounters that shaped me to be the person I am today. Overall, this image always holds me from falling , behind seeing the achievements and success that the image reveals.

• The picture I took from my bedroom shows the place where I usually study and finish all my assignments using my laptop. It’s a place where I can check all my emails, and get notifications from my classmates if they need help with something or if I have any questions to ask. My bedroom is not a huge place like my parents room, since it’s a single room for one person to stay at. I’m a very organized person so I take out my HW book to see if there are assignments that I was given to complete. I live in an apartment in Queens, Jamaica, NY 11432. It’s an hour away from NYCCT. I use the F train to go to 300 Jay St, Brooklyn, NY 11201.    ~ Nabila

A picture that I took from my bedroom of my laptop, folders, and books, 2017

• The Metropolitan Transportation Authority is responsible for public transportation. Carrying over 11 million passengers on average per week. Here we see a Flatbush Avenue bound 2 train headed towards it’s next destination Times Square 42nd street , during its hetic 7 am rush hours. Many civilians using their headphones to block out any unnecessary noise and to give them a boost of energy before work. Others using this time to catch up on sleep, or get some sleep so they won’t do it during their time on the clock. Many are just hoping that they dont hear the MTA’s favorite line ” we are delayed because of train traffic ahead of us, we are sorry for any inconvenience”.

Cathedral Church March 8, 2017.

The cathedral Basilica of St. James  was built in 1903 and is located at the corner of Jay Street and Cathedral Place in downtown Brooklyn, New York. The building has a deep red color with a tower sitting on-top that is painted  in white with gold accents around the panels. On the front of the tower, there is a figure of someone holding a stick or pole. The enormous doors of the church are brown in color and have a floral design above the one of the main entrance. The dark rectangular windows are highlighted with white paints around each frame and brings a little life to the building. Four persons can be seen walking past the church where on the road vehicles are going about. There’s a sign in-front of the church and one on the side of the street which reads, ‘police line do not cross’. To the side of the church is a small tree without leaves and a tall building peeping behind it. I chose this photo because it’s historic and i like the color.

A picture I took today of The Brooklyn Bridge, standing from The Manhattan Bridge, 2017
– Isaac Tejeda

The picture is about how I see Brooklyn everyday. I am from Manhattan, this is my first year  entering the Brooklyn borough of New York. I always felt like I was fenced in from this borough in particular because, I never stepped foot in it till I was 19; my age now. So the hole in the gate on the Manhattan bridge reminded me how I have broken free. How I could only see it and it was always so far but, one day I would reach it. Also you can see my home Borough in the background with all the sky scrapers.

-Isaac Tejeda

Hi Class,

Essay 2 is about taking photos, reading them, and writing about them.

These questions will help us as we move toward Essay 2:

1. What is a photograph? What is the history of photography?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Photography

2. Why do we take, keep, share, and discard photographs?

3. How should we make sense of photographs?

The French sociologist and critic Roland Barthes wrote about photography, and he came up with two useful terms for studying photographs.

1. Studium: The studium of a photograph is the public and historical background of a photo. The studium is the photo’s context and its general understanding which includes the precise time and place and weather. The studium of a photo must be visible, and it is the cultural reading of faces, gestures, buildings, clothing, and actions within a photo.

2. Punctum: The punctum of a photograph is highly individual, not public. The punctum of a photo affects the viewer in a deeply private way. The punctum, which must be visible,  pierces the viewer like a arrow, raising certain individual memories and consciousnesses to the surface. As Barthes says, the punctum “has triggered me, has provoked a tiny shock” in me (49). The punctum is about loving, while the studium is about liking.

*These definitions are from Barthes’ Camera Lucida (New York: Hill and Wang, 1981)

Barthes’ example of punctum:

Little Italy. New York, 1954. Photo by William Klein

“What I stubbornly see are one boy’s bad teeth…”

Hello Students of section D334!

This site will grow and develop during the semester, just like you will grow and develop as critical readers and writers.

If you have any questions, please let me know via email:

sscanlan@citytech.cuny.edu

Take some time to look around our course site; we will refer to it often.

Best wishes,

Prof. Scanlan

ps. Here is our textbook: