New York City: A Nostalgic Return to a Filmset

New York City: A Nostalgic Return to a Filmset

American customs is an absolute bitch. I can’t say I’ve ever had an easy time arriving at JFK Airport in New York, but I foolishly hoped that the third time would be the charm. It wasn’t. But instead of pulling me to one side and asking why “a dude would have hair straighteners in his bag” it was my Danish partner who was taken into a room for interrogation.

“We told him to shave off his beard before we came”

I had no idea why, of course. “She’ll be out shortly, sir,” said the very tired-looking customs official who probably had quotas to fill. But when I got chatting to two British girls who were waiting for their brother, I wasn’t so sure that the word shortly was accurate. “We’ve been here over an hour,” said one of them with a thick Birmingham accent. “We told him to shave off his beard before we came, but he wasn’t having any of it. “ I asked whether they were Muslims. They nodded in the affirmative.

I looked back towards the room where they were all waiting to have their passports scanned and added to some sort of system, and sure enough it was at least half full of men of Middle Eastern descent. It was going to be a long night for many of them, I thought.

But luckily Lia was let loose much sooner than expected, and with no luggage to collect we made our way straight to the taxis. This was where we encountered the first significant difference from the New York City of old. Gone are the petrol-guzzling bulky yellow cabs of the past, replaced instead by smaller, more carbon-friendly vehicles that have lost some of their charm.

Rape, Murder and Corruption

The behaviour of the drivers hadn’t changed a bit, though, as we spent the next 30 minutes racing through late-night traffic with the horn constantly blaring. There was also a TV in the back with 24-hour news streaming across the screen. Our faces – no doubt looking drained from the lack of sleep on the flight – were now bathed in a haunting blue light, as we read about rape, murder and corruption in the city we were so eager to revisit. “Sounds safe,” said Lia.

But the melancholy was lifted as soon as I saw a familiar brightly-lit antenna poking up above the horizon. It was only a fleeting glimpse of the Empire State Building, but already I could feel my pulse quicken and my excitement levels take a serious hit. This was immediately followed by another quick glimpse of a well-known structure, the NYC World Fair Globe, alongside two space-age towers. “We’re in Queens now,” I said proudly. “How do you know that?” asked my inquisitive travelling partner. “Men in Black,” was my response.

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Early Mid-Life Crisis

We were getting closer to our Air BnB apartment in the East Village, and this is where the emotions started rolling over me. Things had felt a lot different the last time I was in this part of the world. I was 22, fresh out of a full-time job in the banking industry, and completely alone. I’d experienced some sort of early mid-life crisis and struggling to figure out my place in the grand scheme of things. Up until that point I’d enjoyed a steady wage with regular hours, a decent social life, a sporty little car, and a couple of back-to-back relationships.

Then it all seemed to collapse pretty much overnight. I realised that none of those things were making my life any better, and that I hardly had any cool stories to tell. Sadly none of my friends shared my enthusiasm to travel, and after trying hard for several months to convince them to join me, I simply concluded that the only solution was to go on an expedition all by myself.

I’m not the first to go travelling alone, but I’d never met anyone who had chosen America as their soul-searching destination. Thailand, India or Australia tended to be favourites amongst young backpackers looking for a low-cost adventure for solo travellers. So my decision to travel across the US was met with raised eyebrows on more than once occasion, especially as I’d only booked a one-way ticket. It felt somehow a bit suicidal. What was I hoping to achieve out there?

 

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This is where my photography journey began

I’ve written about this before, and you can read the full story here. But the main thing you NEED to know is that this is where my photography journey really began. I chose America – and New York City in particular – because of its architecture and huge structures. These were the things that I wanted to photograph more than anything else, but trust me when I say that having no one with me was the hardest part. I was having a mental conflict with my confidence on an hourly basis.

Now, 14 years later, things felt much different. I’d travelled to at least three corners of the globe – sometimes alone – and even learnt a new language. I was the owner of a successful photography business in a foreign land, with a family of my own and a level of confidence that comes with all of those things. Driving in to the Big Apple this time around wasn’t at all nerve-wracking, as it had been in 2004, and for that I felt very grateful. Americans like to use the word closure; I have to use it here, I’m afraid.

A massive hole in the ground

So I’ve mentioned architecture, and there was one (or two, to be more precise) buildings that had long captured my attention, but I never got to see in real life: The Twin Towers. I can’t even begin to explain what it was about those structures that made me so fascinated with them, but when I watched them fall I felt an immense feeling of personal loss (amongst other emotions, obviously). All that was left of them in 2004 was a massive hole in the ground, so this time around the new building was high on my list of things to photograph.

Our apartment had a rooftop with great views of the city, so we were treated to a brilliant panorama of the Manhattan skyline at night. It was from here that I first saw the new building, and although I couldn’t stop looking across at it, something about it just didn’t feel right. It was an imposter, I kept thinking. None of my favourite films have World Trade Center One in the background, so how was I supposed to accept it as a legitimate replacement for the Twin Towers?

 

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Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

This was when it dawned on me, that NYC is just one big film set, and that the buildings represent nostalgia. I don’t feel anything special towards the skyscrapers in Brisbane, or Hanoi, or even Leeds. Why? Because none of them were in Ghostbusters, Die Hard with a Vengeance, or Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles! “Hey, that’s where they filmed Spider-Man!” I shouted more than once during our first afternoon. “And this is the hotel from Home Alone 2!”

So instead of our trip to New York becoming a gritty street photography exposé (which it never was meant to be anyway) it just turned out to be a tour of filmsets and great places to eat. We even bumped in to a couple of celebs along the way, including Ethan Hawke, Gordon Ramsey, and Bobby Cannavale (who?).

To be honest I’ve shot better”

I’ve been staring at my photos from that trip for several weeks now, and to be honest I’ve shot better. But as always the editing process saves the day, and now things have quietened down for the business I have a bit of time to play around and enjoy it.

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Wrong bridge, love

But my favourite has to be this one. If you’ve ever crossed Brooklyn Bridge you’ll know that it’s a fucking nightmare to get across. It is swarming with pedestrians – mainly tourists – who stop every few seconds to pose on the metal framework (even though there are signs everywhere warning people not to do it, because there is a very high risk of falling on to the road below).

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The reason it is full of pedestrians, is because it is perhaps one of the most famous bridges in the world. Seen by millions around the globe, in adverts, movies, music videos and news bulletins. Apparently not this woman, though. Whilst having a Skype conversation with someone back home in Texas she told them she was currently walking across the Manhattan Bridge. She turned to me and asked if she was correct.

“Is Donald Trump a twat?” I replied.

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10 tips for awesome autumn photographs

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This blog post originally appeared over at matthewjames.dk

Autumn: Mine and many other people’s favourite time of year. The food is amazing, the fashion and clothing gets more interesting, and the world becomes softer to photograph. But how can you make the most of this time of year with your camera and capture all the colours and moods around you? I’m ready to give you a guide that will make your photos more than Instaready!

1. Capture the sunshine

Now that the days are shorter and the temperatures are dropping, you need to capitalise on every drop of sunlight you can. You will also notice that the shadows created at this time of year are much different than the ones during the longer days. All these factors create circumstances that will make your autumn pictures more dramatic and vibrant.

cornfield, sunset, derbyshire, halo

2. Clouds are your friend

Another great accessory to any autumn photo are the billowy clouds that appear this time of year. A blue sky always looks better with some fluffy clouds involved. In contrast, as an autumn storm is rolling in, you can catch some great photos of the big dark formations that come with it. So look to the sky for inspiration in all kinds of weather- clouds can be our friend.

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3. Then again, overcast days are also your friend

As much as we all love sunny days, as any professional photographer knows, the days with the most even lighting are the overcast cloudy days, which autumn has plenty of. There’s no risk of shine or bad shadows, plus you get the perfect amount of light with little adjustment on your camera. So even if it is overcast out, grab your camera and start shooting.

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4. Never underestimate the advantage of a lake

A result of all the rain during autumn can also bring positives like rain puddles. With more puddles and water all over the place, you have a chance to optimise your shots and create beautiful mirrored masterpieces of fall foliage, blue skies and more. The sky is the limit, literally, and you have another element to play with to make your photos that much more brilliant.

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5. Don’t be afraid to get on your knees

One of the best things about autumn are the fall leaves and colours, right? A great addition that comes with this is the TEXTURE of all these leaves. I recommend getting down and dirty in them, and not being afraid of trying new angles from down below. Give it a shot and see for yourself.

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6. Think outside the box

You might be looking at some of the images here and thinking “How is that an autumn picture?” The fact is, the weather is just one of many factors that go hand-in-hand with the seasons. But what about events such as Halloween and Bonfire Night (in the UK), and the foods that go with them? Apples, pumpkins and countless root vegetables. Autumn is more than just leaves, clouds and sunsets, ya know.

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7. Take advantage of every moment

Now not to get too ‘’inspirational here’’, but as you know, autumn can be a glorious time, however, the weather changes very quickly from one moment to the next, so if you are out, and get the urge to snap a couple of photos, my opinion would be follow your gut- because just as quickly, the weather will shift and you will have a completely different shot. Don’t put off taking photos if you have the opportunity because you don’t know how long you have that moment for.

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8. Mist and fog 

Another element/bonus that occurs this time of year is an excess of mist and fog. Because of the changing temperatures this friendly weather element can be found at dawn and dusk frequently, which helps us when we are out taking these great autumn photos.

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9. The changing sunrise and sunsets

As mentioned previously, the shorter days due to the placement of the sun give entirely different sunrises and sunsets. The colours are vibrant, while the positioning of the sun at different times of day gives you light that you could never have in the spring and summer months. As a sucker for sunsets myself, I would definitely recommend capitalising on these and get every last golden colour while you can and before the cold dark winter months are upon us!

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10. Carpe Diem, with an umbrella!

Unfortunately the rules with photography are, the more drastic the weather, the better the photos. As mentioned before, since autumn can be such a tumultuous time involving weather, you need to go out and risk the conditions to get some amazing shots that will truly capture this time of year. So even if it does start pouring, come prepared and grab the shot that not every other photographer would have gone after.

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So there you have it. 10 Simple tips that will help make your autumn photos even better. Now go out there, start shooting, and please share with me your best autumn shots. I look forward to seeing all the great angles, colours and textures you come up with.

(Images 4 & 7 kindly provided by landscape photographer Guiie Sandgaard Ferrer. You can see his portfolio of fantastic images over at http://www.guiiesandgaardferrer.com)

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Matthew James: The Prequel

Matthew James: The Prequel

I love prequels and backstories. So much, in fact, that my partner wants it adding to my gravestone when I finally go. I’m always banging on about Star Wars, Harry Potter, The Dark Tower series by Stephen King, and (just the other night) Downton Abbey! What great prequel stories they could create, I keep thinking (turns out a Downton prequel is already in the works!) I’m happy to admit I’m a bit of a nerd who enjoys reading comic books and Googling character backstories to fill in the hundreds of interesting blanks. When I write, I find myself starting the story somewhere in the middle or towards the end, with the following chapters taking a step back in time to bring the reader up to speed with what’s going on.

What 99.99% of you don’t know is my own backstory and how I came to become a full-time photographer here in Copenhagen. It’s long and quite boring, but there are some tantalising moments of courage, dissent and tears. But today I’d like to share a story with you which, in my opinion, describes the moment I tipped over to the other side. And it started ten years ago this very month…

Towards the end of October 2004 I was literally counting down the days. Every day I changed my screen saver at work to display how long I had left, and my boss even told me they’d considered giving me Gardeners’ Leave (a term used when a company thinks keeping you on might be a waste of everybody’s time and money). For four years I’d worked for the internet bank Egg and have to admit I loved it for most of the time. The money was good, the work conditions were fair, and I’d made some great friends. Plus, I was playing in a band called Vinyl Resin, and the 9-5 job kept that band well and truly alive.

But by Christmas 2003 I was getting bored and easily distracted. I would often turn up late, then go for a shower, before finally sitting down to ‘get some work done.’ My friends and I had all been separated because of our antics (which usually involved helium balloons from McDonalds and prank emails and phone calls), and the general mood in the huge open-plan office was becoming sombre.

Egg, Internet Bank, wig, photography by matthew james

Wearing a long wig to give myself a rockstar look whilst working for the bank

Realising I needed some new hobbies, I took up rock-climbing, scuba-diving and photography. The latter was achieved with the help of my dad’s ancient but reliable Olympus OM-1 camera and a home-learning course from the Open University.

On January 1st 2004 I went out with my friend Daniel and a roll of black and white film and starting experimenting with some portraits of him. None of them turned out amazing, but I stuck at it and found myself skipping work more and more so I could just go out and take pictures. All I had to do was stick the job out until October, when I could pick up a juicy bonus for being an Egg employee for four years.

But what should I do next, I wondered. Well, visiting New York City had always been very high on my list of Things to Do, and by August I’d booked a flight for November, and joined a 28-day tour of the entire country from coast to coast, with a company called Trek America.

I had three seats all to myself on the BA flight from Manchester to JFK, so I made the most of it. I slept most of the way, and when I awoke I opened the window blind and peered out. As my eyes adjusted to the brightness, I could see a tall needle-shaped object on the horizon and I said out loud “what the hell is that?” I knew the answer, of course: it was the Empire State Building, and I was over the moon to finally see it, even from so far away.

It was dark by the time I finally ventured in to downtown Manhatten, and I knew nothing about low-light photography, but I managed to take a few shitty pictures with a small point-and-shoot camera I had brought with me. But the next morning was the real adventure. I woke up ridiculously early (due to the jet lag) and grabbed my dad’s OM-1, which I had adopted fully by now. I got some OK B&W morning shots from Central Park at 7am and tried my hand at a bit of street photography, but what I really wanted to photograph was the Empire State herself.

Times Square, New York City, Photography by Matthew James, Travel Photography, art for sale, kunst til salg

Times Square at night. It’s just a bunch of lights and noise pollution really.

Manhattan, New York City, Photography by Matthew James, Travel Photography, art for sale, kunst til salg

Looking a lot like my mum here, and sporting an awesome pair of flares!

Five weeks later I returned and decided to spend what little money I had left printing hundreds of images and creating a portfolio. I told my parents that I was going to get some work experience at the Derby Telegraph and would probably get a job there somehow. Naturally my parents didn’t share my naive enthusiasm, but I felt I had to try and start somewhere.

My portfolio sucked (as Deputy Editor Neil White reminded me by saying “That’s a tree” when I opened it up for him to review.) Indeed, my entire collection consisted of a tree, a bridge, a polecat, a seagull and a desert, and not a single one showcased any photojournalism or camera skills. But, two things did occur: A) I enjoyed the few days I spent there very much and B) I was told to get in touch with Paul Delmar from Sheffield College who was the man to speak to to kickstart a career in the newspaper industry.

Central Park, Tree, New York City, Photography by Matthew James, Travel Photography, art for sale, kunst til salg

The infamous tree in Central Park that got completely dissed at the Derby Telegraph.

Four years later I was an official employee of the Derby Telegraph and so began an intense period of training, learning and creating. Finally getting to see my work in print every day was a huge buzz and I always felt proud when I saw a complete stranger reading the front page with my photo on it.

There’s a huge gap of information here, and I’ll save it for another story for another day. But this month sees my 10th Anniversary of stepping on to the road of becoming a professional photographer, and to celebrate I wanted to share a brand new piece of art with you, dear reader.

Strangely enough, the B&W photo I took of the Empire State never made it in to my portfolio. Instead, I scanned the negative when I started Sheffield College in 2008 and it’s been sitting on my hard drive ever since. So last week I decided it was time to introduce it to the world and had it professionally printed. And it’s for sale, too.

To the interested buyer you should know the following:

1. The image is the first of ten that are to be printed and sold, therefore this is an absolute original and limited edition.
2. The image is signed by myself and dated 14/10/14
3. It comes framed in a 70x100cm silver frame with an off-white mount.
4. For this reason, the buyer must collect in person from Copenhagen.
5. The image was taken on an Olympus OM-1 analogue camera (not digital) using Fuji B&W film ISO 400
6. Due to the uniqueness of this image, the asking price is 3.000DKK

So there it is. A photo; a passion; a story; a beginning; a prequel? I’ll let you decide that one, but I look forward to handing this one over to the lucky buyer, whoever you turn out to be…

Empire State Building. New York City, Art for Sale, Kunst til salg, photography by matthew james

A ten-year-old piece of my soul.

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