UPTOWN ARTIST – CISCONYC

BY Led Black (@Led_Black)

What are some of the things you love about Uptown?

First and foremost, I want to thank the Uptown Collective for taking the time to acknowledge my work and giving me some recognition.

There’s so much to love about Uptown. It’s one of the areas in Manhattan that I feel is highly overlooked. Maybe it’s because it’s so high up on the map, but once you’re there you realize that it’s not so far north, and that it’s actually pretty cool. I love the people, the history, architecture, parks, restaurants (Garden Cafe) lol, prices, and grittiness.

 

What do you like about shooting Uptown?

Like most of my photos, I like to shoot life and its rawness. I like seeing people out and about, doing what they love, hanging out, chillin’, doing what they gotta do to survive. You see a lot of that Uptown.

 

Your photographs have this amazing vitality to them. How do you go about capturing that?

Good lighting, and a fancy camera lol!!! (just playing) A friend once commented on my photos and said that they are very journalistic. I never really thought of them like that, but going over them I see what they mean. There’s a lot of energy being projected in NY. Both positive and negative. When I can see both in one frame, that’s what I like to call “seeing the blind spot”. In a city where 50 billion things are going on at once, you’re bound to over look the blind spot. My goal is to capture it. Also traveling has helped out a lot. Every time I’ve traveled, I’ve come back to NY with a deeper appreciation. Stuff that I would normally ignore, suddenly stands out.

 

How would you describe yourself as an artist?

I don’t consider my self as an artist. Not yet at least. Nowadays everyone considers themselves an artist. Specially in the world of photography. Everyone has a camera, a blog, a flickr account, etc. I’m new to the game and it’s more of a hobby to escape from my repetitive daily grind. I learned from my friends in the graffiti game that in order to be someone you have to put in your time, pay your dues, and stay consistent. I feel like that applies to all artists. I appreciate good art, and love it, but if that’s what people consider me as, then it’s an honor and I thank you.

 

Is there anything else you would like our audience to know about you or your work?

This past year I’ve been updating my blog on a regular basis and it’s gotten me some good recognition. I have a few exciting projects lined up, so please stop by and enjoy what you see. If anyone is interested in my work, please feel free to contact me. I have my contact info at the top of my blog. Depending on the circumstances, I don’t plan to charge for my work other than printing fees. Like I said before, this is a way to escape from my repetitive daily grind. Enjoy, and thanks again for your recognition.

For more: cisconyc.com/

flickr.com/photos/cisconyc

twitter.com/CiscoNYC1

Check out previous Uptown Artist columns:

Paul Lomax

DJ Boy

Matthew Gallaway

Steven R. Hazlett