POSTCARDS FROM MEL – NYC
BACK IN THE NEW YORK GROOVE
9 years after my first visit, I knew I had to return back to the greatest city on earth and to capture it in all of its glory. Words cannot describe how picturesque NYC truly is, from building structures, hustle and bustle, subways, fashion, quirky restaurants and cafes, central park, the list truly goes on.
From the moment I left in 2016, I said to myself that everything I edit that I shot from here would be in black and white. New York has its uniqueness, but the one thing I love is how it blends grittiness and style together.
This isn’t only shown in the population going through Manhattan, but the different mix of buildings between all historical styles over history crammed into this small island.
Speaking of that, a fun fact I learned over there was that a lot of the more modern style skyscrapers in the city have an upward thrust which makes them quite vertical. This is due to something called the ‘1916 Zoning Resolution’. A zoning law regulating overall building coverage to ensure light and air to the people and to the streets. So anything built post 1916 (Empire state building for example) follows this architectural law.
I decided to pack 1 lens and 1 lens only to capture this city, and I couldn’t think of any other lens in my kit that would top the Canon FD 50mm 1.4. The dreamlike look this lens produces at a high aperture would perfectly represent the feelings I wanted to convey through the images.
Out of everywhere I’ve photographed over the world, NYC definitely gives me an overwhelming feeling as everything is in your face. Its so densely filled that you cant even begin to know where you’re going to photograph first as you feel like you can shoot 5 different set ups at once by just standing in one spot, and by missing 1 of them, you’ve missed your chance. It truly is something special, but it really tests you to settle for what you really want to capture.
The weather was unusually hot and humid particularly for that time of the year. It was mid Autumn and every day was around 90% humidity and relatively warm. I was blessed on the main day I chose to shoot around the city, as there was light mist for majority of the day and some rainfall here and there.
Quick note: Double check if your camera is weatherproof sealed, most modern DSLR’s offer some form of weatherproof but for safety measures, be smart about it. If its bucketing down and you’re street shooting, shift your time into an interior location. Look around and you may be surprised at what ‘happy accidents’ a location change can bring when shooting!
Would I go back to NYC for a third time? Oh-Hell-yeah! And when that time comes, Ill have a completely new motivation of how I want to capture the city like the previous two visits. And that’s the beauty of it all, the city is constantly changing and evolving, as do we through life. Ill return one day and see the city in a completely different light to perhaps showcase the beauty of the parts I may have missed this time around. And you know what? That keeps me excited, motivated and reminds me of why I love doing what i do!
Take care everyone! – Mel @ IWS
Meletios Likouresis
Co-Founder | Producer | Cinematographer
Meletios Likouresis is the co-owner and the resident Cinematographer/Photographer at Iris Wide Shut. From smaller beginnings in a rural country town, his journey took shape after completing his Advanced Diploma in Screen and Media at the Adelaide Collage of the Arts a little over half a decade ago. Since then, he has covered a diverse range of visual media ranging from Commercials, Corporate Advertising, Music Video/Festival Coverage, Narrative and Documentaries.
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