I take every opportunity during my commute or trip into Manhattan to bring my camera and photograph the scenes and people I see in front of me. The energy of the New York City streets is unmistakable and addictive when you pause to take notice of your surroundings. The people in these images convey a range of expressions and emotions such as happiness, sadness, indifference, anger, focus, excitement, frustration, love, relaxation, contentment, confusion, energy, distraction, anxiety, motivation, exhaustion. Some people noticed me, most never saw me. Some questioned me, most didn’t. Those who did engage, often resulted in a friendly conversation sometimes lasting for several minutes. Rightly or wrongly, but always respectfully, I asked no one for permission, only forgiveness.

New York City scenes are a gift to experience, vintage and trending architecture, skylines, shafts of direct and reflected sunlight between buildings and a giant oasis of greenery in the center of Manhattan.  It’s especially rewarding to capture these scenes by setting up a tripod slowing the shutter to photograph light trails, smoothed out water and clouds, blurred motion of traffic and people, creating the type image our naked eye cannot see.

My twin daughters have attended grade school in Mahwah, NJ since the fall of 2025. Not long after they started there, I discovered nearby Ramapo Valley County Reservation, a jewel of a park in Mahwah with an expansive space to hike and explore a protected woodland and watershed environment with wildlife such as deer, squirrels, chipmunks, bunnies, snakes, turtles, waterfowl and birds (black bears and coyotes have been known to roam here). I routinely visited the park for an hour in the morning after dropping my kids and before beginning my workday. I brought my camera along to capture landscapes of waterfalls, vistas from mountaintops, trails through the woods and the wildlife. The pictures are from 3 seasons of fall, winter and spring and this park is a must visit for anyone in the nearby area.

There is something alluring and appealing about the beach.  The sea breeze, the clouds forming over the ocean, the motion of the tide, the scent of sea salt in the air, the vastness of the horizon, the texture of the sand, the hustle and energy of a boardwalk.  The beach is a special place to capture images and appreciate its beauty. These pictures were taken in New York at Rockaway Beach, Coney Island & Staten Island, and in New Jersey at Spring Lake, Wildwood & Long Branch.