All posts filed under: Photography

Touched with Light: Portraits of Farnoush

Published by sarahong2012

Here are a few portraits of Farnoush I captured in my East Village home. I played around with natural light, movement and dashes of color.

Midnight Portraits of Shriya

Published by sarahong2012

Emotional rawness, accentuated by the stillness and solitude of the night. Here is my portrait series of my housemate Shriya, taken on our balcony at midnight.

I am a big fan of floral prints, bright colors and retro dresses. As Spring is just around the corner, I thought I’d share a Spring inspired outfit 🙂 I bought this Floral Arrangement Artist Dress from Modcloth, an online store that specializes in vintage and retro-inspired clothes and accessories.

An Introduction to Studio Lighting

Published by sarahong2012

As part of my Computer Graphics certificate at Pratt, I’m taking a Lighting for Photography class this semester. As a freelance photographer, I’ve shot mostly outdoors with natural light. It’s great to finally learn about studio lighting. In yesterday’s class, we set up tungsten and strobe lights. Here are a few photos from the shoot 🙂

28 Hours in Philadelphia

Published by sarahong2012

I got to spend 28 hours in Philadelphia over the weekend. I caught the train to Philly from New York on Friday at noon. I arrived in the city at 2pm on Friday and left the following day at 6pm via BoltBus (only $10 – totally worth it!). Philadelphia is a colorful city rich in history, culture and unique in character. Despite the brief trip, I managed to pack in quite a few of the major attractions of the city, to my surprise. Within 28 hours, I was able to (aka my recommendations): Enjoy a campus tour of the University of Pennsylvania: I was fortunate to have been given a tour of UPenn by a family friend who is currently pursuing his PhD here. This Ivy League school was founded by Benjamin Franklin and is one of the first universities in the U.S. Visit Liberty Bell: The Liberty Bell is an iconic symbol of American independence. Check out Independence Hall: Independence Hall is where both the United States Declaration of Independence and the United States Constitution were debated and adopted. Catch a glimpse of Magic Gardens: Although I didn’t make …

The Only Thing Constant is Change

Published by sarahong2012

Greenwich Village: Where my Love Affair for New York Began

Published by sarahong2012

I used to stay awake at night dreaming about living in New York. In my idealistic, adolescent mind, it was a city of dreams; it represented freedom, opportunity and celebrated cultural diversity and artistic expression. I imagined a colorful city that was constantly on the go and full of energy and life; filled with interesting people who were driven, smart, talented and different from me. This daydream was brought to life 4 years ago upon receiving my acceptance letter from NYU (thank you NYU and thank you parents!). And so, my New York chapter began at Greenwich Village, home to NYU, in 2012. I vividly recall the mixture of emotions I felt when I arrived in New York for the first time during the summer of 2012; I was overwhelmed, anxious, scared (moving to a new city alone yikes), but most of all, incredibly excited. Excited for the new chapter ahead and all the colorful possibilities new beginnings bring. I remember the first time I walked through Washington Square Park with my parents on a hot summers day. Despite the scorching heat, the park was pulsating with life and buzzing with energy. …

A Taste of Ippudo

Published by sarahong2012

I enjoyed a wonderfully delicious lunch at Ippudo East Village today. Ippudo East Village is the first international Ippudo to introduce the world to Hakata tonkotsu pork soup. While Ippudo East Village is rooted in traditional Japanese ramen culture, they also offer a modern interpretation that is both inspired by Japan and the culture of New York. Spotlight Dishes Pork Belly Buns Two steamed buns filled with pork and served with Ippudo’s original spicy buns sauce and mayo. These are probably the BEST pork belly buns I’ve savored. The meat was so succulent and tender, the buns warm and soft and the original sauce was so tasty. I definitely recommend this appetizer! Akamaru Modern The original silky “Tonkotsu” (pork) soup noodles topped with Ippudo’s secret miso paste, pork chashu, cabbage, sesame kikurage mushrooms, scallions and fragrant garlic oil. The ingredients blend well together – simply delicious! Although there is always a wait to get seated, overall dining at Ippudo is a wonderful culinary experience! Delicious food, attentive service and a warm, soothing ambience – a neighborhood gem.

Falling in Love with East Village

Published by sarahong2012

I’ve decided to start a photo series and commentary centered around the neighborhoods and cities I’ve visited. To kick off this passion project, I’ll begin with one of my favorite neighborhoods in New York – East Village. A Cultural Melting Pot of Art, History and Good Food I moved to the East Village last September. Over the past 6 months, I’ve enjoyed exploring all this eclectic neighborhood has to offer. The more I discover, the deeper my fascination. The East Village — the blocks east of the Bowery between Houston and 14th Streets, was once considered to be part of the Lower East Side, but began to develop its own unique identity and culture in the late 1960s, when a flurry of artists, musicians, students and hippies began to move into the area. The neighborhood has since emerged as a center of the counterculture in New York, and is regarded as the birthplace of several artistic movements, including punk rock and the Nuyorican literary movement. It has also been the site of protests and riots. Although in recent decades it has been argued that gentrification has transformed the character of the neighborhood, East Village is …