Text and photographs by Stephen Harmon
If an Upper West Sider were asked to describe the color of the Upper West Side, the answer might be concrete gray or asphalt black or faded brown or reddish brick or a kaleidoscope of colors because of the small business storefronts.
In my view, all of those answers would be valid.
But ever since I moved to the neighborhood in the 1970s, I have seen its color as yellow, red, and blue. The yellow is from the 10,000-plus taxi cabs and numerous other vehicles on the streets every day, and the yellow crosswalk signals and overhead traffic lights. It is impossible to miss the yellow! The red is from the thousands and thousands of brake lights on the cabs, trucks, vans, and other vehicles, and the red lights of the traffic signals. The blue is from the sky, when it is not gray or raining, and its reflection in thousands of widows in hi-rises, townhouses, and tenements.
Here are a few photos from my “UWS Wet Series,” illustrating this theme. I hope you find something to like.
Steve
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