A giant pigeon overlooks 10th Avenue
The High Line introduces a large pigeon sculpture.
Perched above 10th Avenue at around 30th St on The High Line spur is an incredible sculpture titled Dinosaur made by Iván Argote. The giant pigeon measures 21 feet in height and places the iconic NYC bird as master over its human counterparts. Up close, the bird’s details are even more striking, with its signature red feet and talons nearly digging into its concrete podium.
The best view is right up next to it, but pull a bit farther back along the Moynihan Connector bridge or even south on 10th Avenue and you’ll really see the bird in its element. Go check it out until Spring 2026!
Two Omnium Cargo Bikes Meet in NYC
When two Omnium’s meet on the street…
Omnium Cargo Bikes aren’t necessarily rare in NYC but I rarely see them parked like this. So when I saw this full-sized Omnium cargo bike parked on Madison Avenue I knew I had to take the opportunity to get a duo shot. My Mini Max is on the right.
What happened to the Brooklyn Banks?
A tour of the old Brooklyn Banks in Manhattan.
Check out this video tour of the current state of the former Brooklyn Banks. Today, this historic skate spot is renamed as Gotham Park after a lengthy abandonment and an even lengthier renovation. It is still under construction at some parts, but Gotham Park is open to the public and it includes many of the same iconic skate ramps and rails as well as nice new places to play basketball and other recreational activities.
Video of the mass damper at 432 Park Avenue in action
This is the device that keeps a building from swaying wildly during high winds.
This is pretty neat and I don’t think most people ever get to see anything like this. Here’s the building damper at 432 Park Avenue in NYC at work. This residential tower in Manhattan is currently the 3rd-tallest residential building in the world and 5th tallest building in NYC. The building has had some negative press lately due to shoddy construction and despite its luxury labeling seems to not be so luxury in comparison to its counterparts around the city.
If you don’t know, a mass damper is the weighted device that works similar to a pendulum and keeps a building from swaying wildly during high winds.
Exploring the abandoned VITAS Healthcare building in Downtown Miami
The only video I’ve seen of the abandoned inside of the VITAS Healthcare building.
I really wish I had more time to see this place before I left Miami recently. It’s in the process of being completely demolished and this video from just a few months back looks to be the last time it will be seen on video all graffiti’d up.
Braided USB-C tether cable
A test of a braided USB-C tether cable for extreme durability on set.
One of the most common issues I encounter as a tech is having my very expensive USB-C tether cables go kaput because of extreme bending due to the use of a cable lock or tether block. Sometimes, there isn’t much I can do as the cable is just a tool to complete a job (there’s no way I’d be telling a photographer to stop holding a camera a certain way or anything), so in the end, I end up trashing way more cables than I’d like. Of course, on big jobs, this just ends up being seen as a consumable good and that’s fine considering all the other things rented on a shoot.
However, I still don’t like the waste of it all so I’ve been testing my own braided USB-C tether cables and so far they are really preventing the extreme bending through the design of the cable itself. It’s the best case scenario! The braided cables are a lot more durable and actually physically cannot be bend backwards onto a tether block due to the construction of the braided fabric sleeve. It’s designed this way for durability and no photographer I’ve used it with lately has even noticed the change in cable. It’s invisible design at work!
I’ll do some further testing before opening it up to the masses but honestly, this looks like the solution I’ve been searching for for over 5+ years.
JUSTICE - Generator (live at Accor Arena)
One of the best concert lighting designs in recent history.
I’m posting this live JUSTICE show from Accor Arena in 2024 because it’s the closest official video link to their live IRIS show that is available.
JUSTICE randomly posted the IRIS full concert on their page sometime in the last year but has since removed it entirely for no apparent reason and I just want everybody to see how incredible this stage and show design is (not to mention it’s such a great mix of JUSTICE songs).
Modern stadiums are actually getting smaller
How modern stadiums aren’t built for mega-fans.
I’m not entirely surprised here as more and more of the western world becomes driven by statistics and an obsession on return on investments. In this Wall Street Journal video, an architect explains how modern stadiums are actually less about packing in a ton of fans and more about convincing people with money to feel exclusive about their ability to attend an in-person game.
Architects and designers do this by trying to squeeze every penny out of you after you’ve already paid for and entered the stadium with concessions that persuade you to purchase quicker and more often and with seat options that are more luxurious (hint: it’s not really).