New York City is a metropolis of contrasts: for some its' metaphor is
the City of Oz while for others the city's formidable complexity
suggests the notion of Gotham. Complex cities have complex
stereotypes. When viewed as Oz, New York City seems to be that place of
enchantment where there is a magical promise to realize individual
dreams, desires, and aspirations. It is a unique place where
originality and individuality of voice is nourished by participation
in a society inspired by a plurality of cultures. The core of this
city is its vitality whose emblems are the museums, theaters,
libraries, and universities. Intrinsic to this unique place is the
harmony of a multicultural society that embraces all ethnic groups,
religions, genders and nationalities. The Statue of Liberty stands as
a reminder of the ideals of this society.

Another facet ,and perhaps a darker side to this jewel, is its
frenetic pace. The crowds of people, long interminable lines, car
traffic, noises from sirens and visual congestion from store
displays, converge in a complex chorale that is both boisterous and
alienating. The shadowed streets and looming skyscrapers are home to
corporations and billionaires contrasting with its thousands of homeless.

My personal perspective is that New York's foundation is best
illustrated by its bridges. My favorite is the Brooklyn, a suspension
bridge that is among the most elegant. The Verazzano, the Williamsburg, the
Triboro, the Henry Hudson and the George Washington Bridge all reach
out to join the boroughs and their surrounding areas. These arms of
the suspension bridges are the proscenium, the stage, and the
stabilizing machinery of the theater called New York. The marriage of
modernism in art, where industry, technology, and individual voices
are wedded is the focal point for synergy of peoples from around the
globe. It is over the bridges that people converge to the many
creative centers of this metropolis.

I am Beatrice Geller, an associate professor of photography at
Pacific Lutheran University. Fifteen students will join me for this
digital photography class and will share their perceptions and
understandings of this incredible city. The students and I will share
our impressions of New York with you through the visual syntax of
photography in our North American galleries as we
journey through "the city that never sleeps".