This famous photograph is of a recently arrived Italian family at Ellis Island. During the early 1900’s the issue of immigration was at the forefront of the times, and the integrity of the American Dream was at stake. This photo perfectly captures the unease felt by many new immigrants, and the uncertainty they had of making a better life in America.
This picture shows the Twin Towers under construction. Vergara shows us a version of the city many of us are unfamiliar with. For us, the Twin Towers were barely present in our lifetime, because of the September 11th attacks. However, this picture shows a time earlier than 2001 and earlier than 1973 (when the towers were opened), before these towers had even come into existence. Vergara reminds us that there was a time where these towers did not exist, and their place was filled by much smaller buildings.
Bruce Davidson shows the struggle of African Americans during the Civil Rights Movement by showcasing how hard it was to take care of children in such a small apartment in Harlem, New York City. The mother’s eyes seem so weary, as if she’s been through a lot of trouble making ends meet. The apartment looks a little messy, but she still tries to make the best out of it. One thing that Davidson shows in this picture is how similar African American mothers are to any other mother in America: tired and fatigued, yet still alive and moving.
This photograph shows our city in a completely different time. It shows a part of Harlem that looks almost like ruins from a war. Vergara depicts the neglect and terrible conditions that people in poorer neighborhoods, mainly minorities, must live in. It also shows how they don’t seem to mind where they are. It is almost as if they have grown used to it. The African-American boys simply walk over the scrap metal and broken bricks, carrying their instrument cases, almost likely after a day at school, not really paying mind to the building’s ruins.
Even though you can’t see the boy’s face, you can feel some disconnect between him and reality. It’s as if he sees the city and loses himself in it. Looking at this photo almost feels like intruding on his private fantasy. I can’t imagine what he’s thinking looking out at that landscape, but I want to know what thoughts have come to his mind.
This photo appeared in Chang’s photo essay “Jet Lag.” The condensation trails left by departing planes represent the constant state of motion New York seems to be in. In such a busy city, people never spend their time doing nothing, with every second bringing a new assignment, responsibility, fun activity, and insightful production. The maze of paths the trails make capture the confusion and loss of direction many New Yorkers feel. When in such a rush, there is a tendency for one to develop tunnel vision, constantly moving towards ones goal with only that in mind. When it is time to look up, it can be very disorienting. However, the city always moves, never giving that much-needed moment of respite, however brief.
Part of Chang’s unfinished work “Chinatown,” in which he documents the lives of illegal Fujian immigrants smuggled into New York, this photo illustrates the longing many immigrants have for the lives they left behind. For anyone outside alien moving to New York, the key to surviving in the city is to embrace the cold steel and hard asphalt with open arms. In order to do that, however, one must first drop drop everything they were carrying with them, be it old mannerisms, traditions, or, in the case of the subject, family. In the case of immigrants from impoverished regions, the plight is much more dire. Illegal immigrants in New York are usually treated like slaves by those they work for and forced to live in a squalor not much better than the squalor they left. Still, it is an improvement, and even more so, a way to provide for their families back home. This photo serves to give insight into the hidden lives of illegal immigrants, and give outside observers a more humanizing and compassionate view of them.
People look at New York City and only see the big things. They forget that it’s not just a tourist attraction; it’s also home to millions of people. This picture doesn’t capture the skyscrapers or the commotion of the streets or the lights, but it shows what New York is to Erwitt. This is his home. This is how he sees New York, in this intimate moment between his wife and his child.
Nightview provides a visual of the common reference to New York City as the “city that never sleeps”; even at night, the city glows as if it was day. The many lights which are on, even though its night, combines with the busy streets, with many cars speeding by, to show how busy the city is. The city never stops moving forward and the photo captures this movement toward new technology and reliance on electricity. The strong contrast between light and darkness captures the viewers’ attention and puts into their perspective the size of the city.
This photo depicts the changes taking place in New York City during the 1930’s. Abbott strived to capture the transition from old buildings to new infrastructure as the city made its way around the Depression. The unique angle this photo was taken from emphasized the magnitude of the city and how intricate its framework is. Rockefeller Center is an iconic landmark of New York City and the photo shows the hard work and time put into building such a grand place.
