Tag: Street Photography

Empellón Al Pastor

Al Pastor is a type of taco made with spit-grilled pork. The cooking method is based on the lamb shawarma brought by Lebanese immigrants to Mexico. Still, it features a flavour palate that uses traditional Mexican marinade adobada.

Al Pastor is a type of taco made with spit-grilled pork. The cooking method is based on the lamb shawarma brought Lebanese immigrants to Mexico. Still, it features a flavour palate that uses traditional Mexican marinade adobada.

Alex Stupak is the Chef and Co-Owner of the Empellón restaurant group in New York City. Mr Stupak was born in Massachusetts and is a scholar of the avant-garde and molecular gastronomy movements. He has no Latinx or Hispanic background. Once I learned more about the Empellón restaurant group, I realised just how much of the Latin culture of Loisaida had been co-opted by the capitalist.

In my opinion, this restaurant represents gentrification combined with cultural appropriation.

The Pass

That moment, a split second as the cigarette hovers between them, held in the fingers before moving to the other, has so much weight.

Street photography is still a struggle for me. It’s easier to find exciting happenings to photograph, and I was overwhelmed with choice. New York City is almost the opposite of downtown Princeton where street photography is nearly impossible. In Princeton, people assume you are photographing a building or storefront. They actively try to step out of the frame. In New York City, very few people care that a camera is pointed in their direction.

I was attracted to the bold signage painted on the building. Still, I remembered we were here for street photography, not architecture. I noticed these two men talking and sharing a cigarette on the entrance stairs to Fun City Tatoo. I thought of the trust needed for sharing a cigarette with someone. Everything that was avoided during the global pandemic. Touching hands. Standing too close. Sharing something your mouths touched.

That moment, a split second as the cigarette hovers between them, held in the fingers, has so much weight.

With a few clicks of the shutter, I captured the moment the man in shorts held his arm out. Decisive moment?

Alphabet City Mural

The area of the Lower East side was called Alphabet City because of the surrounding single-letter streets: Avenues A, B, C & D.

The Lower East side area was called Alphabet City because of the surrounding single-letter streets: Avenues A, B, C & D.

In 2015, Australian Yok and Singaporian Sheryo, in conjunction with the Green Villian arts group and artists Steiner, Victor Ving, Elmo, Kevin Lyons, Roachi and Buffmonster, created a mural titled Alphabet City on the corners of Avenue C and East 6th Street. The mural is inspired by South-East Asian culture and the surf, skate and music scene.