I started my journey at Midtown 36th street, then continued down Broadway stopping at Madison Square park and the Flat Iron district. I advanced towards Union Square, proceeding onto 16th street (the back to the Stuyvesant dorms on 15th street).The walk was at least an hour long, starting at 3:20pm and ending at 4:20pm. I walked mostly on the left side of Broadway. I felt out of place for a bit at the beginning of the walk due to the busy nature of people rushing on the street. By contrast my walk felt relaxing as I had nowhere to be and nothing to do but take in the city. I stopped to get one dollar pizza and then later on I paused to hydrate at an iced tea shop. The noises and smells of the city harmonized naturally; some areas of the walk blew gusts of humid and urine-scented subway air up from the humming grates. Other streets melded the thick aroma of falafel and gyro street vendors with my favorite scent–sweet roasted nuts. There was a subtle decrease of elevation walking down Broadway. I was with my roommate Sayo enjoying the clear sunny day. As we moved from the Midtown area to the Flat Iron district, I noted the striking contrast between locations. Surprisingly, I estimated the time of my walk with extreme accuracy for not using a phone. Overall this experience was eye opening. I realized I possess a great sense of direction without my phone. I also learned the importance of taking a moment to really see something. As a portrait photographer I don’t usually focus on the background to the same degree, so stopping to capture and take it in was both an educational and inspiring experience.
