Balloons Print

Image Description for “Balloons” This image is in the “Anonymous Portraits” series. It was early spring in New York City. I don’t recall the exact year: sometime in the late 1960s. I was walking up 5th Avenue at West 59th Street, with the Plaza Hotel on the left. A mother and her two young children were at the base of the statue of General William Tecumseh Sherman, and the children were running with huge balloons. Other people were sitting on the base of the statue passing time. These were ordinary activities on an ordinary day, but the contrast between the serious General and the playful children was charming. As with all art, you can ascribe different layers of meaning to the image. For me, the sacrifices of soldiers made it possible for children to be happy and carefree in that moment, to enjoy the liberties that many of us take for granted. Such is the blessing of peace. Our lives are composed of these small moments. Taken together, these vignettes define our existence. We can choose to engage with them, to look for some higher meaning, or to pass them by and continue on our way. But if we ignore them, we miss opportunities to enrich our existence. Street photography such as this can be among the most challenging and unforgiving genres. We must be able to capture the moment that tells the story while showing the interaction between light and the subject. This is “Le moment décisif” (The Decisive Moment) as defined by Henri Cartier-Bresson. There is no second chance. Cartier-Bresson was one of the major influences in my artistic vision. I regret that I never had the chance to meet him. My hope for you is that this image will inspire you to notice and appreciate these small moments. Taken together, they can transform our lives from the ordinary to the sublime.

Print:Giclee on Fine Art Paper

Size:9 W x 12 H x 0.1 D in

Size with Frame:14.25 W x 17.25 H x 1.2 D in

Delivery Time:Typically 5-7 business days for domestic shipments, 10-14 business days for international shipments.