Warm June breeze, street signals light the dark South Slope. If there is a quiet moment in New York City’s most populous borough, it is not going to be found in the Slope. We bike deep into Gowanus. The industry has mostly gone to bed for the evening. It is nice to find a quiet moment to set up a long exposure.

Being approached by anyone in the dark secluded Gowanus night can be intimidating. This time it is just security. He tells us he saw the cameras and needed to check things out. Not sure why security is always alarmed by cameras. I wonder what truth or weakness they are afraid the photos will expose. We speak softly and respectfully and we are told to carry on.

A bus driver pulls in after a long shift. He parks his bus along the side of the secluded dirt road. The driver looks confused by our presence as he walks away. We set up a series of long exposures down the dusty dirt road. We capture the machinery as it rests. It is mere scenery without the human drivers and operators that push these machines all day long.

The stillness of the evening reminds me of the natural beauty that must of have existed here at one time. Long before the industry came in and altered the environment to meet their needs, before the trash was dumped, before the factories were built, before the roads were paved, and long before the Superfund status; this must have been a very different place.

So, whether we’re being fenced out of the area, or the canal is being fenced in to protect from further damage, the fences play a huge part in the Gowanus identity. Check out the wonderful shots below for an exploration of this theme!

“I’ve Already Read ‘War and Peace’,” by Ed Brydon:

Untitled, by Brendan Adamson:

“Divergent/Y,” by Josh Derr:

Untitled, by Finraz:

Untitled, by Finraz:

“Whole Foods: 365 Spring Water,” by Jill Harrison:

Untitled, by Brendan Adamson:

One of the themes we’ve noticed is the myriad perspectives people found to capture its very essence — the murky water of the canal. Though it’s hard to convey the strange, bubbling stench that rises from its oily waters, I’m glad these beautiful (and severe) shots below express how beautiful even a polluted waterway can be. Venice in New York, they say.

Untitled, by Finraz:

“Gowanus Canal from the Union St. Bridge,” by Barry Yanowitz:

“Gowanus Canal,” by Vim25:

“For the Love of Brooklyn,” by Josh Derr:

“I give it five minutes,” by Kinerific:

Without further ado, here are a few of our favorite shots from the meet-up. We’ll be featuring more over the next week as they keep rolling in. Hope everyone is enjoying this beautiful spring weather and happy shooting!

“Gowanus Sunset,” by Barry Yanowitz:

“Fellow Fotogs,” by Kinerific:

Union Street Bridge, by Josh Derr:

Untitled, by Adam Lerner:

“Tower of Water,” by Vim25:

This past weekend, the grey, snowy days of winter disappeared just in time for us to host our monthly Brooklyn meet-up — this time in Gowanus. With the beautiful afternoon sun slowly setting to our west, 20+ photographers from For the Love of Brooklyn met up at the Draft Barn before going on a 2+ hour tour, exploring the banks of the canal and taking in its sights (and rather strange smells).

We’ve already started to see a barrage of images from the meet-up appearing in our Flickr pool — we’re excited to share some of the great work here on the blog this week. But for now, check out these lovely group photos from Vitaliy Piltser and Barry Yanowitz, who somehow managed to corral us together.

Thanks so much to everyone who came out — I personally had a blast and loved meeting everyone! You guys rule!

So, where to next in April??!

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Congrats, guys! And I’m sure there will be plenty more drool-worthy photos taken this weekend at our meet-up, so come and join us!

If you could, please RSVP to our Facebook event so we can get an idea of how many folks to expect. And if you have any questions, don’t hesitate to contact us directly! Look forward to seeing you there.

Date: Saturday, March 6, 2010
Time: 3:30pm
Location: Draft Barn
Street: 530 3rd Ave. (between 12th St & 13th St)
MTA: Closest trains are the F or R lines to 9th Street / 4th Avenue

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Check out some of my warm-up shots below from the South Slope, Gowanus, and DUMBO! And make sure to contribute your own to our Flickr pool!

Gowanus itself was at its most peaceful. When the wind gusts weren’t blowing, it was so quiet you could hear the sound of the snow hitting the canal.

DUMBO and the bridges were the next destination. Riding through Cadman Park is always nice. There is never any traffic because of the Supreme Court and the park itself is beautiful. In the snow, all of this area’s great qualities are magnified and the park felt more like a forest out of a fairytale than a park in New York City.

Riding on the Brooklyn Bridge near midnight in the snow is an incredible Brooklyn experience. You are completely alone on the bridge and you feel like the entire structure is yours. It’s not terribly cold either.

Here are a few more photos from the night, and if you still want more, check out my Flickr page: