It's not often that you meet someone that helps you really shift what you see. This past summer I met a retired professor who reminded me about the value of perspective, how we see things. I've reflected on that meeting so often since and holding that lesson rather dear I ventured out the other day looking for a vantage point, a different place to see what I've seen hundreds of times - this Midtown neigborhood. I walked into a parking ramp, climbed the stairs and started shooting.
Here's our Lady of Lourdes, on Main Street. fixBuffalo readers may remember the recent auction at Lourdes this past September - right here.
Sort of crazy shot, right? Slightly odd, visiting a parking ramp with out a car. Anway...this afternoon I unexpectedly met up with the person who introduced me to that professor and we revisited the same lesson about perspective, vantage points - seeing the city as co/conspirators - and the importance of witnessing this place, our city, hemmorage and slowly maybe slowly piece its way back together from the brink. We need to be deliberate.
Meanwhile, I'll be visiting a few other parking ramps on the City's east side and keeping track of my ramp shots. As I compose my shots I will be remembering those lessons and words I heard this summer and again this afternoon.
__________________________________________________________________________Here's our Lady of Lourdes, on Main Street. fixBuffalo readers may remember the recent auction at Lourdes this past September - right here.
Meanwhile, I'll be visiting a few other parking ramps on the City's east side and keeping track of my ramp shots. As I compose my shots I will be remembering those lessons and words I heard this summer and again this afternoon.
Artspace • BAVPA • Woodlawn Row Houses • fixBuffalo flickr
Creative Class • Shrinking Cities • Saturdays in the neighborhood
4 comments:
Photography is the second best reason for developing parking garages (parking being the first). You can get some great perspectives on familiar sights/sites from them.
I'm glad to hear I'm not the only car-free-by-choice person who checks out parking garages. Once you get to the top level, if you have your rollerblades with you - and it's after hours or the weekend - you can have a great time on the way down.
Nice photo - can't wait to see more.
Sean,
How 'bout sharing a few views from parking ramps in your 'hood.
RaRaCha,
Roller blades? Haven't tried mine on in over five years. Tour on blades?
Its hard for me to look at my old church, even sitting in ruin I still see the beauty which once was here. I'm encouraged by the efforts of many like ReTreeWNY and Buffalo ReUse, which is why I volunteer to help them. We need to keep this in our viewfinders as a reminder that if we try, we can make a difference and turn the tide of years of hemmoraging and put the pieces back together. There's no guarentee of success but at least we'll know we've done something worthwhile.
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