New York February NYC Camera Convention/6th Annual Camera Beauty Contest

[B-9]

Now there is an idea, not driving!

We have an Indian Trails hub right here in town, might even be cheaper than driving.

Can anyone reccomend a hotel in NJ, near this PATH? I wouldn't mind using public transit to move and shake myself around. Might need a bit of help at first!

 

[Range-rover]

John,

If we can get the demolition postponed a month that would be great. The balconey for both crowd control and security that Puck Fair provides would be a great thing.

Seems like a leather fetish is kinda happening with B-9's offer of making some straps, Bob's new Contax, and my prize offerings of recovering kits. Perhaps I'll wear these vintage Iessy Miyakee brown leather pants I bought recently. You know what they say, "Artists by definition are exhibitionists." LOL.

Cal

I have to say it came out real nice, I'll bring it to the beauty contest

Bob

 

[Phil_F_NM]

Now there is an idea, not driving!

We have an Indian Trails hub right here in town, might even be cheaper than driving.

Can anyone reccomend a hotel in NJ, near this PATH? I wouldn't mind using public transit to move and shake myself around. Might need a bit of help at first!

If you do wind up driving, you can find parking around Jersey City on Friday afternoons and not have to move the car until Monday morning. I used to be a pro at this since I lived there for about a year recently.

You might look up AirB&B accommodations in Jersey City or Hoboken. That would be the cheapest route of all. I'm most likely going to be at the beauty contest so I'll subscribe to the thread and I can keep you up-to-date a little regarding some possible lodging solutions on the cheap.

Anyway, staying in Jersey City will certainly be cheaper than NYC. I don't know of any hotels there as I've never looked but there certainly are a bunch.

Phil Forrest

 

[Phil_F_NM]

I told him that for the most part the city is safe, and that you can walk any part of the city during the day, but some neighborhoods make a change for the worse as the day goes on, especially close to dusk and at night. I doubt anyone would want to mess with a guy like you who swings a hammer for a living.

Cal

Don't worry about New York City. The worst part of the city is like one of Philadelphia's average neighborhoods. NYC is Disneyland in comparison to Philly, New Orleans, Detroit, Chicago, Albuquerque (yes Albuquerque,) Bahston, or most anywhere for that matter. Don't look for trouble and don't be complacent but there certainly isn't any reason to be afraid.

Phil Forrest

 

[Calzone]

I think, I should be able to make The Convention again. This year was very fruitful in regard of strange and unusual cameras, mostly under $250. Now I have to decide which ones to pick. 😉
But I promise they will be interesting.

Last year Sam was our champion. He got the grand prize of a Leitzd that I found curbside right outside the Leica Gallery on Broadway.

This also reminds me to make up a new catagory: "Free Gear." Let's see the stuff that is given to you, or found garbage picking. Total cost has to be free.

Trying to disguise that I'm a Leica snob by supporting other catagories. I only have 5 Leicas. Lately I've been having a chrome lens/brass lens construction/black paint lens fetish. Somehow I can't fight my obsessive tendencies. LOL.

Cal

 

[Calzone]

Don't worry about New York City. The worst part of the city is like one of Philadelphia's average neighborhoods. NYC is Disneyland in comparison to Philly, New Orleans, Detroit, Chicago, Albuquerque (yes Albuquerque,) Bahston, or most anywhere for that matter. Don't look for trouble and don't be complacent but there certainly isn't any reason to be afraid.

Phil Forrest

Phil,

Last Friday night my neighborhood was in the news. A girl was "Strong Arm" mugged for her cell phone and pocketbook less than 100 feet from my building. On video the girl enters her building and the guy my height 5' 10", but stockier at about 170 pounds enters behind her befor the vestible door locks. Attacked from behind she is thrown doun some stairs and then repeatedly lifted and thrown onto the floor like a rag doll.

NYC is a very safe city. Guns are generally not involved like all the citys you mention above. Still shxt happens.

Last year there were a rash of attacks that were considered hate crimes where Asians were specifically targeted for beatings and robbery in Spanish Harlem. Many of these attacks were in the surrounding blocks where I live.

Then when I first moved into Spanish Harlem some woman got mugged by someone who used a brick as a weapon. Last year I was targeted by a 1 liter bottle that exploded upon impact about 5 feet from me that was thrown from an upper floor of a housing project. I'm sure if I was hit that I would of gotten seriously hurt.

Cal

 

[B-9]

Considering Michigan is home to two of Americas most violent cities,

Detroit has the highest crime and murder rate per capita, then there is Flint...aka little Detroit who tops the scales for second. Flint is my backyard.

I frequent both, and never give it much thought. Although, in the past, I've had some really close calls working as a Contractor for Big Banking. Thankfully I still have my innards and my vehicle.

I feel safe when I visit these places, mostly because I am familiar with where I should and should not be at certain times of night. We had a rule for my guys working in places like Kalamazoo, Ann Arbor, Detroit, and Grand Rapids, Always give yourself enough time to get out of dodge before dark.

Out of all these places, Kalamazoo and GR are as sketchy as it gets.
If your a young woman, Ide avoid Ann Arbor like the plague.

I think it goes without saying, we all have these areas in our own home towns.

Thanks for all the input guys!

 

[Calzone]

I feel safe when I visit these places, mostly because I am familiar with where I should and should not be at certain times of night. We had a rule for my guys working in places like Kalamazoo, Ann Arbor, Detroit, and Grand Rapids, Always give yourself enough time to get out of dodge before dark.

B-9,

This above is great wisdom. I go to the sketchiest places to go shoot, but I go early to avoid the riff-raft that seems to come out close to darkness and especially in darkness.

I'm only 5' 10" and about 150 pounds, but I feel that I'm an unlikely target for crime. I know NYC from the seventies when it was a lot like Detroit is today. Today NYC is being made into a safe place for wealthy people, and is likely the safest city in the USA.

Cal

 

[jsrockit]

The bottom line is that after dark, some of NYC's boroughs can get very tough.

 

[B-9]

The bottom line is that after dark, some of NYC's boroughs can get very tough.

That's when all of us thug shy blokes should be in the pub sipping drafts!

 

[jsrockit]

I just stay in Manhattan during those hours B-9!

 

[SuperUJ]

As one of the winners and runner-ups of the previous years, I was hoping the contest this time will be held on Feb 1, Feb 7 or Feb 8 as I will be traveling again in the second week of Feb. If not, I will have to miss the highly entertaining event the second year in a row.

And here comes a new and new old gear alert: Perfectly repainted (over brass) black M3 (Sr. # >1M); and black Leica M-P.

John

 

[stompyq]

I will be away till the 6th of February. It would be great if it could be after the 6th

 

[jsrockit]

Feb 9th wouldn't work John?

 

[Calzone]

As one of the winners and runner-ups of the previous years, I was hoping the contest this time will be held on Feb 1, Feb 7 or Feb 8 as I will be traveling again in the second week of Feb. If not, I will have to miss the highly entertaining event the second year in a row.

And here comes a new and new old gear alert: Perfectly repainted (over brass) black M3 (Sr. # >1M); and black Leica M-P.

John

John,

I will face-off my black paint MP against yours. Not that I have penis envey, but my MP features a 0.85 VF'er. I have big 50mm framelines that are further exaggerated because I had the 75mm frames stripped out.

Also know that my black paint MP is free from that whimpy fake "sharkskin" that people generally don't like. Furthermore my manly black paint MP features black Griptac which some people say is like vulcanite on steroids.

Let the trash talking begin. I say I have the manly MP. LOL.

Cal

 

[B-9]

Ooh,

What's more manly than a 1936 Leica III with Olive Kidskin, a Uncoated Summar and a Lyre back VIOOH? That same camera with a N&N strap, that's what!

Those MP's might as well stand for... Masculinity Problems!

Is that trashy enough 😉

 

[Crazy Fedya]

Real Men Shoot Contax!!!

How about IIa with 35/2.8 Biogon, Zeiss hood, custom fitted Pentax ME grip(fitted by yours truly), custom made orange leather strap ( made by yours truly) and 35mm Komura viewfinder.

😉 😉

 

[B-9]

If you do wind up driving, you can find parking around Jersey City on Friday afternoons and not have to move the car until Monday morning. I used to be a pro at this since I lived there for about a year recently.

You might look up AirB&B accommodations in Jersey City or Hoboken. That would be the cheapest route of all. I'm most likely going to be at the beauty contest so I'll subscribe to the thread and I can keep you up-to-date a little regarding some possible lodging solutions on the cheap.

Anyway, staying in Jersey City will certainly be cheaper than NYC. I don't know of any hotels there as I've never looked but there certainly are a bunch.

Phil Forrest

Phil, I took your advice and went to Air B&B, I found a nice looking room for 40$ a night.

Here is the short text on the spot, Im just guessing where to go here.

"This is 1 private room in a 4 bedroom apartment...One block from Prospect Park, one block from the Q train at Parkside Avenue, 20min to NYC. This is an up-and-coming neighborhood very close to all the action without the typical New York price tag..."

Couple of questions,

Will this Q train get me anywhere I want to go within reason?
Is this Train... camera safe?
Is this Prospect Park area shambles?
Can you recommend a better place to be looking?

As far as date, I could very well get a flight out on Sat. 7'th and be in Town until Tuesday at the room price. Flights are running around 100$ each way. SO im definitely stoked to keep this under 400$.

Feel free to shoot me a PM guys, if you can help me get more info to work with.

Thanks!

 

[stompyq]

Phil, I took your advice and went to Air B&B, I found a nice looking room for 40$ a night.

Here is the short text on the spot, Im just guessing where to go here.

"This is 1 private room in a 4 bedroom apartment...One block from Prospect Park, one block from the Q train at Parkside Avenue, 20min to NYC. This is an up-and-coming neighborhood very close to all the action without the typical New York price tag..."

Couple of questions,

Will this Q train get me anywhere I want to go within reason?
Is this Train... camera safe?
Is this Prospect Park area shambles?
Can you recommend a better place to be looking?

As far as date, I could very well get a flight out on Sat. 7'th and be in Town until Tuesday at the room price. Flights are running around 100$ each way. SO im definitely stoked to keep this under 400$.

Feel free to shoot me a PM guys, if you can help me get more info to work with.

Thanks!

Prospect park is in Brooklyn B-9. It should be fine in general. Although there are some dodgy areas. The Q is fine (as are all the subways) and it's only a short commute to the city. Look around some more in the city itself if your not driving in, since you won't have to worry about parking

 

[Phil_F_NM]

A block from Prospect Park off the Q isn't bad. The park is great too. A few friends of mine go birding there and recently a few rather uncommon species have been spotted by ornithophiles.

Your current Brooklyn AirB&B room puts you in a good position to see much of the city very conveniently. You'd only get cheaper farther out in Brooklyn, far out in Queens or in Jersey City. All these options require more transit time to get to where you may want to go.

You can take the Q into Manhattan and either transfer or walk anywhere you need to go. All of the trains in NYC EXCEPT for the PATH are camera friendly. The MTA and city of New York state that the public modes of transit must be treated like all other public places with regard to our freedoms. The only thing is that you can't use flash or a tripod without a permit. Your photographic work can't be blocking regular passage of MTA patrons. I'm on the Q regularly with a camera and have not been harassed for it.

Do make sure to take it to the end of the line in Brooklyn where you'll find Coney Island. I love it during the winter when all is still. If you want to get some Russian flavor in your visit, a short walk from Coney Island are Brighton Beach and Sheepshead Bay where you could get some good eastern european food. Heck, or decent food of most any kind.

Here's a link to the subway map that is the reference of record:
http://web.mta.info/nyct/maps/subwaymap.pdf

On Manhattan, you can walk basically anywhere only a short distance from a subway stop.

The New Yorkers here will chime in with suggestions as well but I think your room you found is a winner.

Phil Forrest