BROOKLYN, NY -- It's 3 p.m. on a picture perfect New York City Wednesday and gun shots are ringing through the streets of Dumbo.
Throngs of looky-loos crane their necks to catch a glimpse of the action but can't get near the scene. It's not crime tape in their way - it's a production assistant on a film set, trying to block off the intersection at Washington and Water streets.
That a camera crew honed its sights on this spot, Down Under the Manhattan Bridge Overpass, is not at all surprising. In the past several years, the street's become borderline undriveable as the rumble of tires on the cobblestone has given way to the click-clack of high heels and camera shutters.
Wedding and engagement shoots, fanny-pack toting tourists, modeling head shots, photographers with cameras strapped to holsters on their hips -- the intersection has become the outdoor runway for the chic and shabby alike.
Like and good New York City attraction, it's become part tourist trap, part commercial venture. It's a neighborhood that's beyond the cusp -- one that's almost a cartoon caricature of itself. It's where the city's early 20th century streetscape meets the Instagram-era. Indeed, the buildings frame the Manhattan bridge and the bridge frames the Empire State Building beyond it, in a way that was meant to be photographed in the social media platform's trademark square format.
Almost as often as Washington Street looks like a fashion runway, it looks like a wedding aisle.
Deborah Furtado of Brasilia, Brazil took notice and, while visiting the city for her bachelorette party, she posed for wedding pictures for her friend, photographer Lucas Silvestre.
Ekaterina Murphy, on the other hand, could have fooled any casual passerby to thinking her wedding day was fast approaching. But Murphy is in fact a model, donning the outfit for a Ukranian dress maker using the backdrop, along with shoots earlier in the day in Times Square, to sell her product.
George Senior Jr. of Long Island pulled up to Washington Street at the end of May in a 1955 Chevy Bel Air convertible. He built the car with his brother, who passed away exactly six years before this picture was taken. He brought the car out to this spot on this particular day to honor him.
"I built this car for him," he says. "It’s like right out of the movie 'Grease' this car. I’ve had movie stars in this car that I just randomly met on the street. The tourists really get a kick out of it more than anything."
When I introduced myself to Louis Mendes, he insisted that I look him up and read about him before we could have any further conversation.
A well-known street photographer, Mendes carries an old Speed Graphic press camera and takes photos at iconic NYC landmarks or anywhere there's a crowd. In recent years, he's been visiting Washington Street.
"There's more money here in the past three years," he said, noting how the area had changed. "This is New York. It's all about making money, nine days a week."
I asked if I could take his picture.
"You've got one shot," he said, challenging me to photograph in the manner he's accustomed.
This is that one frame.
Tiz Pratt, a security guard working on a film set, saw me photographing his dog Bandit and came over to try to coax him into smiling for the camera.
He brings his dog with him as he works 12 hour shifts, often overnight, to secure areas before filming
Spend a few hours on Washington Street and you can alternately get drawn in by its individual characters or take a broad view and just witness the antics.
Watch the postal worker shout at the security guard whose blocking his afternoon route in the name of film.
Try to figure out what in the world is going on here.
See the couples, young and in love, making a picture of this time and place in their romance for all their followers to see.
Watch the hair flips, the photo bombs and the street fashion.
Or get lost in the pictureque backdrop itself. After all, isn't that why we're all here?
