THE EXPLORATIONS OF 2014

The Project Awakens …

After several years of capturing anything and everything around me on camera (landscapes and trees and clouds, oh my!), my focus on New York City began to sharpen.

I began to see beyond the landmarks and popular locations of Manhattan and realize there’s much, much more that the city had to offer - especially for an urban explorer and adventurer and photographer. This is where I began to see Manhattan as a tapestry - a quilt of interwoven, connected - yet distinct - neighborhoods.

And so The Project began in earnest. First, with steps merely beyond the iconography, but then deliberately into the fabric of the city. Starting at the southern tip of Manhattan in the Financial District, The Project took its first steps toward walking through every neighborhood on the island.

By now, the camera was a Canon EOS 70D and there was a continuing refinement to the photography … and The Project was born.

The Explorations:

Queens - January 3

A newly fallen snow was the inspiration for this day’s camera experiments. With the North Shore Towers looming in the background, I took my Rebel T2i in hand and set out for a brief exploration of Glen Oaks. With vestiges of the holidays still visible, the crisp afternoon offered a glimpse of what the outer boroughs have to offer an urban explorer - even if the explorer did not yet know that he was taking the first steps of The Project.

  • Distance Walked: 0.73mi

  • Photographs: 21

  • Queens Neighborhoods Visited:

    • Glen Oaks

Queens - February 12

Today marked a return to a frequent early muse: Alley Pond Environmental Center. The snow-covered nature trails, under a gauzy sky offered a quiet, secluded respite from the busy city beyond - even if the trail briefly skirts along the edge of the Cross Island Parkway.

  • Distance Walked: 0.58mi

  • Photographs: 10

  • Queens Neighborhoods Visited:

    • Alley Pond Environmental Center

Queens - February 26

The year’s second exploration of Alley Pond Park took place under unsettled and dramatic skies. Sunshine and flurries, heavy clouds and gusty breezed brought the frigid scene to life. Today I took the long way around, and followed the trail as far as I could.

  • Distance Walked:1.91mi

  • Photographs: 46

  • Queens Neighborhoods Visited:

    • Alley Pond Environmental Center

2016

The Project Soars …

Without question, 2016 is the most complete year of city photography - from a creative standpoint. Having completed my tour of Manhattan, I was free to just wander, explore and experiment - from reflections to geometry, wide-angle to super-zoom, from prime lenses to a handheld camera, from long exposures to B&W - I made use of every photographic tool I had.

And the results were amazing, if I do say so, myself.

My primary camera of choice became a full-frame Canon 6D and from street photography to night photography, from treks across bridges and (gasp!) through Brooklyn and Queens, some of the most iconic photos in The Project were taken at this time.

2016 was a prolific year, resulting in an opus that is (as yet) unmatched in my explorations and documentation of New York City. It stands as a genuine love-letter to this city - and the moment in time when my photographic and creative pursuits reached the loftiest of heights and culminated in the year The Project fulfilled, then exceeded, its creative promise.

Nighttime view of the New York City skyline with illuminated buildings and bridges reflected in the water, including the Brooklyn Bridge on the left and the Manhattan Bridge on the right.

2017-2018

The Lost Years …

The journey of life takes its turns and even the most dedicated of Projects can get sidetracked. But it was not merely life events that sidelined The Project - so, too, did mismanagement.

There were far more photos taken in this timeframe than are presented here in CityNeighborhoodsNYC. But they no longer exist. A backup hard drive was unintentionally wiped and, while the wealth of photos through 2016 were saved, nearly all of the photos from this period were lost.

It was a deflating moment and one that utterly took the wind out of The Project’s sails resulting in a void - both personal and creative.

Years later, a small cache from 2018 was, in fact, recovered … and those meager-few images are now a tantalizing glimpse into what could have been … and doleful reminder of a time of loss and misadventure.

Tall skyscrapers and older buildings under a clear blue sky, street view with traffic signals and street signs in New York City.

2019-2020

Dormancy …

Following the stunning loss of photos, and still working through the upheavals of life (and then COVID), The Project entered a dormant phase. The Canon 6D was shelved. Dust gathered. Photos from both 2015 & 2016 went unprocessed and left in hibernation.

And all the while, unconcerned by such personal issues, the city continued its relentless push forward ... undocumented by The Project.

True, a few small stuttering steps were made to break out the camera and try returning to the streets. But those moments were fleeting and unfocused. There was an aimlessness and a lack of direction - and not just for The Project.

Sunset over a city skyline with clouds in the sky and water in the foreground.

2021

Recollections and Renovations …

In 2021, the winds of change began to stir. After just two rudderless excursions into the city, and an unsettled and stormy spring, a realization dawned: A cleansing and a new approach were needed.

The first step was a difficult, but necessary one. Rather than struggling with an unclear and unfocused purpose, I stopped all attempts at taking photos.

Instead, I paused, took a deep, cleansing breath, and finally went back and began picking up and cleaning up the pieces left in the wake of the years of Loss and Dormancy.

I began with processing what remained of the heights of The Project in 2015 & 2016. Seeing those years-old photos helped me recall the joys of The Project and led to a summer of rethinking and recollecting.

Perhaps there was a future in store for The Project after all …

And so, by the end of summer and autumn, the deck was finally cleared, the canvas newly cleaned, and the beginnings of a new plan were forming.

It was nearly time to rekindle a Project that had been left lost, dormant … and neglected for far too long.

Empty interior space with polished concrete floor, white walls, fluorescent lighting, and a small mezzanine or balcony at the back. Exterior reflections are visible on the glass walls.

2022

Rebirth & Transformation!

CityNeighborhoodsNYC … was reborn - sparked with a newfound purpose and vigor. It was time to leave the streets of Manhattan behind (for now) and launch fully into the Outer Boroughs of Brooklyn and Queens.

From the steps of my Kew Gardens residence, and re-energized after long years away from The Project, I took my first serious, dedicated steps as a photographer in a long, long time.

Spreading outward - on foot, on the LIRR, on the J-Z line - I explored with my new Canon 6D Mark II. My journeys followed major thoroughfares (e.g. Myrtle Avenue, Kings Highway, Queens Boulevard) from beginning to end - and I ended up in far-flung places (for me) like … College Point and Bay Ridge; Fort Greene and Ozone Park.

I spent hours, then days, walking miles upon miles (up to 19 miles in one day), rediscovering the joys of photography and city life, filled with a passion and purpose not seen since 2016. Even the off days were spent on reflective strolls through Forest Park.

It felt like coming home again.

Seeing NYC anew, from the perspectives of the vibrant outer boroughs, reinvigorated The Project - and the photographer. The result was not just a spark, but an explosion of photography and a deepening appreciation for the richness and diversity of New York City.

Black and white photo of the New York City skyline across a body of water with old wooden pilings and birds in the foreground.

2023

Mission Accomplished!

This was the year! If 2016 was the creative height of The Project, then 2023 was the height of The Project’s mission: To photograph and document every neighborhood, in all five boroughs of New York City - Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, The Bronx & Staten Island.

5 boroughs - 380+ neighborhoods - 482 miles walked - 61,000+ photos taken.

In just one year.

What was hinted at in 2010, begun in 2014, and soared with creativity in 2016 before falling into an abyss in 2017, had come to a triumphant crescendo of completion.

The result is a one-of-a-kind historical and creative record: An anthology of New York City - every neighborhood in every borough - in 2023.

There are stories aplenty from this phase of The Project - too many to share here - but without question, the highlights were setting foot in and fully exploring The Bronx and oft-over-looked Staten Island.

It was an honor to experience and document all of it - and a joy to celebrate.

Sunset at 121 Street subway station with orange and purple sky, empty platform, benches, and station signs.

2024

A Year of Reflection and Reimagining ...

Where does one go after reaching the loftiest of goals? What are the next horizons of adventure, especially when life itself begins to reach genuine fulfillment?

The answer: Expand your horizons.

Just as NYC continuously (and relentlessly) renews itself, the same is necessary for all things. And so not only would I return to the city in a more reflective and pensive posture, I expanded The Project beyond New York City and became: A Traveler.

For the first time in not just The Project, but in life, I ventured to a new continent, exploring The Baltics and Poland. I took my photography to the northeast, to Maine, New Jersey, Pennsylvania - and Québec City. I contrasted those adventures with time in South Florida.

And I returned to Manhattan to renew my love of the city - and to wonder at its progress and find new stories in locations both familiar and unfamiliar.

People relaxing and walking in a park with trees and rocks, city skyline with tall buildings in the background on a sunny day.

2025

Finding Balance …

With an evolution of life and purpose comes a refocusing on balance and harmony. The international expansion of The Project - this year to Amsterdam, Brugge, and Paris (and South Miami Beach!) - has provided new perspectives on the city that I love and call home.

This has been a year for finding the balance in those perspectives and purposes. And it was in that balance that I rediscovered the joy of … (re)discovery.

It had been over a decade since I began my exploration of New York City - a lifetime for a city that never sleeps. So whether it was stepping into the newly minted Manhattan West and Hudson Yards through Moynihan Station, marveling at the new JP Morgan supertall skyscraper, or finally setting foot inside the Oculus, the city reminded me about the importance of renewal and rejuvenation … and balance.

That newfound balance found its expression in the launch of CityNeighborhoods International - and the relaunch of CityNeighborhoodsNYC, creating a harmonic synergy between The Project’s past, present and future.

I am genuinely grateful and humbled by the journey and adventure so far. And I hope you have enjoyed sharing it with me here at CityNeighborhoods.NYC.

So here’s to that next adventure, that next photograph, and that next discovery right here … in New York City … and beyond ...

Skyscrapers with glass facades reflecting the sky and clouds, set against a clear blue sky in an urban cityscape.

CityChroniclesNYC

  • A city street scene with a man walking across the road carrying a bag, surrounded by cars and tall buildings, with green trees lining the street and a clock tower in the background.

    The Streets

    The streets of New York form the living framework of the city — a network of energy and intention carved through centuries of movement. They are the city’s arteries, drawing millions through their corridors each day; a language of pavement and pattern that speaks of order and chaos in equal measure.

  • Close-up of the top portion of the Chrysler Building, an art deco skyscraper in New York City, showcasing its ornate spire and architectural details against a clear blue sky.

    The Landmarks

    The landmarks of New York are its great signatures — the visible testament to ambition and endurance written across stone, steel, and sky. From the Statue of Liberty’s raised torch to the Gothic crown of the Woolworth Building, from Grand Central’s constellations to the towering planes of the Empire State, each landmark embodies a chapter of the city’s identity.

  • A large whale sculpture hanging inside an aquarium, with visitors sitting and walking around the spacious area, fish tanks, and other marine displays in the background.

    The Exhibitions

    Few cities have turned creativity into civic identity quite like New York. From the marble halls of The Met and the Cloisters to the experimental pavilions of MoMA PS1, from the sculptural quiet of Little Island to the open canvases of its murals and parks, the city exists as a gallery in perpetual renewal.

  • A black and white photo of a person walking through a narrow alleyway at night, with buildings on both sides, graffiti on the wall, and bright light illuminating the background.

    The Visions

    There are as many New Yorks as there are moments of light. Seen through rain or reflection, in twilight haze or midnight flare, the city remakes itself in every frame. Visions of New York captures those transformations — the fleeting alignments of architecture, weather, and mood that define how the city feels.

  • A map of the New York City area displaying numerous location pins with numbers, indicating specific points of interest or data collection sites across the city and surrounding regions.

    The Explorations

    Every photograph begins with a walk — and every walk through New York is a journey through both city and self. Explorations of New York is the ongoing record of those days: a chronicle of routes taken, bridges crossed, seasons observed, and stories found at street level.

  • Map of New York City showing boroughs and neighborhoods including Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, The Bronx, and Staten Island.

    The Cartographies

    Every act of mapping is an act of understanding. Cartographies of New York gathers the city’s form as both geography and imagination — a portrait drawn in lines, borders, and waterways. These maps are not mere diagrams; they are interpretations of space, attempts to make visible the patterns beneath the metropolis.

  • A city street scene with a man walking across the road carrying a bag, surrounded by cars and tall buildings, with green trees lining the street and a clock tower in the background.

    The Streets

    The streets of New York form the living framework of the city — a network of energy and intention carved through centuries of movement. They are the city’s arteries, drawing millions through their corridors each day; a language of pavement and pattern that speaks of order and chaos in equal measure.

  • Close-up of the top portion of the Chrysler Building, an art deco skyscraper in New York City, showcasing its ornate spire and architectural details against a clear blue sky.

    The Landmarks

    The landmarks of New York are its great signatures — the visible testament to ambition and endurance written across stone, steel, and sky. From the Statue of Liberty’s raised torch to the Gothic crown of the Woolworth Building, from Grand Central’s constellations to the towering planes of the Empire State, each landmark embodies a chapter of the city’s identity.

  • A large whale sculpture hanging inside an aquarium, with visitors sitting and walking around the spacious area, fish tanks, and other marine displays in the background.

    The Exhibitions

    Few cities have turned creativity into civic identity quite like New York. From the marble halls of The Met and the Cloisters to the experimental pavilions of MoMA PS1, from the sculptural quiet of Little Island to the open canvases of its murals and parks, the city exists as a gallery in perpetual renewal.

  • A black and white photo of a person walking through a narrow alleyway at night, with buildings on both sides, graffiti on the wall, and bright light illuminating the background.

    The Visions

    There are as many New Yorks as there are moments of light. Seen through rain or reflection, in twilight haze or midnight flare, the city remakes itself in every frame. Visions of New York captures those transformations — the fleeting alignments of architecture, weather, and mood that define how the city feels.

  • A map of the New York City area displaying numerous location pins with numbers, indicating specific points of interest or data collection sites across the city and surrounding regions.

    The Explorations

    Every photograph begins with a walk — and every walk through New York is a journey through both city and self. Explorations of New York is the ongoing record of those days: a chronicle of routes taken, bridges crossed, seasons observed, and stories found at street level.

New York City

Use this custom Google map to explore where every neighborhood in all five boroughs of New York City is located.

The Five Boroughs

One of New York City’s unique qualities is its organization in to 5 boroughs: Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, The Bronx, and Staten Island. These boroughs are part pragmatic administrative districts, and part vestiges of the region’s past. Each borough is an entire county in New York State - in fact, Brooklyn is, officially, Kings County, while Staten Island is, officially Richmond County. But that’s not the whole story …

Initially, New York City was located on the southern tip of Manhattan (now the Financial District) that was once the Dutch colony of New Amsterdam. Across the East River, another city was rising: Brooklyn. In time, the city planners realized that unification between the rapidly rising cities would create commercial and industrial opportunities - through streamlined administration of the region.

So powerful was the pull of unification between New York and Brooklyn that three more counties were pulled into the unification: The Bronx, Queens, and Staten Island. And on January 1, 1898, the City of New York unified two cities and three counties into one Greater City of New York - containing the five boroughs we know today.

But because each borough developed differently and distinctly until unification, their neighborhoods likewise uniquely developed. Today, there are nearly 390 neighborhoods, each with their own histories, cultures, cuisines, and personalities - and each with residents who are fiercely proud of their corner of The Big Apple.

Manhattan
Brooklyn
Queens
The Bronx
Staten Island