Good morning. It’s Friday. Today we’ll talk to the photographer who took pictures and videos for the city’s list of 120 great trees.
Like Alex Kent, you will probably have a hard time picking a favorite among the 25 greatest “Great Trees” featured in a new interactive project this month. Kent, 33, spent three and half months shooting more than 8,000 photographs and videos of the honorees on the city’s official list of 120 Great Trees. The journey took him from Pelham Bay Park in the Bronx to a golf course on Staten Island. But it was a weeping beech at the Cypress Hills Cemetery in Brooklyn that caught his eye. Under the tree’s “natural umbrella” of branches and leaves, someone had left roses on the roots by a grave. “You can see and feel how these trees play a significant role in people’s lives,” he said, adding, “It’s humbling to think of how many generations have passed beneath the same branches of these 25 trees.” With reporting from Dodai Stewart, the project showcases the arboreal variety of the city in both public and private spaces. For Kent, who recently moved from the East Village to Washington, D.C., with his partner, it also became a bit of a goodbye letter to New York, he said — “an excuse to soak it all in and explore as much as I could before we left.” Kent, who has been a professional photographer for about five years, answered some questions by email about working on the Great Trees project, with tips for how best to photograph your favorites. This interview has been condensed and lightly edited. What was your approach to make sure a story full of photos of trees did not feel repetitive? These trees won’t be around forever, so it was essential to spend enough time finding the unique aspects and “personalities” of each tree to create a worthwhile record. This project was exciting because it’s different from the breaking news and human interest stories I generally cover. I went in genuinely curious and, as corny as it sounds, let the trees and light guide the photographs. I was pleasantly surprised to find something extraordinary at every stop. What were some of your favorite non-tree sights or interactions while making your way around all five boroughs? I had so many great conversations with residents and tourists about the trees. People were delighted to tell stories about the tree or eager to learn more about why it was considered great. At ground zero, I met a former firefighter with his family, who were visiting the United States from another country. He proudly showed me his official portrait in uniform, and we all shared a few stories under the Survivor Tree.
How did doing this project affect how you feel about trees? My favorite tree is a towering magnolia tree outside my childhood house in Nashville. In spring, my mom and I would pick flowers from the lower branches, and the sweet, floral notes would drift throughout the house. So, I’ve always associated them with home. This project gave me a reason to stop and reconnect with my surroundings in a new way, so I would say I left with a deeper appreciation for trees as a result. Now I’ll pause every so often and point out an interesting tree. In your bio on your website, you say you like to “celebrate life’s absurdities” through your art. Were you able to do that with this project? What makes a tree great? It’s the question I was asked over and over. Perhaps more important than the answer is the question that invites us to explore and engage. It could be considered “absurd” to lionize just 120 trees of the seven million in New York, but encouraging people to seek out nature and reflect on their favorite trees is certainly worth celebrating. Do you have any tips for our readers as they go out to see and take pictures of these trees on their own? (The project allows readers to create a viewing list.) Light and time are key. I’d recommend going around sunrise or sunset, as the shadows can be harsh in midday light. If you’re going to make images, take your time. Pay attention to the details, textures and angles to appreciate the similarities and differences of the trees. Also, consider bringing bug spray. There are some thirsty mosquitoes working overtime at a few of these locations. WEATHER Expect a mostly sunny day with temperatures nearing 79 and possible showers in the afternoon. Tonight will be partly cloudy with a low around 59. ALTERNATE-SIDE PARKING In effect until Monday (Labor Day). The latest New York news
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They ScreamDear Diary: I often stop to chat with two older woman who sit on deck chairs outside a laundromat in my Bay Ridge neighborhood. One day as I was passing them and saying hello, they were clearly eager to chat. I apologized for not being able to linger. I explained that I had ice cream in my shopping bags and didn’t want it to melt. They looked curious. Since the ice cream was in small, single-serving cups, I asked whether they would like some. I had vanilla, strawberry and coffee, and they seemed good with any flavor. I gave them each a cup and began to walk away but stopped and turned back toward them. I told them that the spoons were in the lids. “Yeah,” one of them shouted with a bit of an edge in her voice. “I was going to say!” — Mary McConnell Illustrated by Agnes Lee. Tell us your New York story here and read more Metropolitan Diary here. Glad we could get together here. — S.L. P.S. Here’s today’s Mini Crossword and Spelling Bee. You can find all our puzzles here. Davaughnia Wilson and Ed Shanahan contributed to New York Today. You can reach the team at nytoday@nytimes.com. Sign up here to get this newsletter in your inbox.
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