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Luis Miguel Goitizolo

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New York photographer reshoots century-old scenes for armchair time travelers
4/30/2014 1:57:29 AM

New York photographer reshoots century-old scenes for armchair time travelers

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Photos capture memories. Jordan Liles has used images to connect to the past – and, he hopes, to help him remember the present in the years to come.

His George Bradford Brainerd Project shows scenes from across New York City, photographed in the 1800s by Brainerd and then painstakingly rediscovered in the modern day by Liles himself. On Liles' site, you can toggle back and forth between each view: First you see how it looks now, and then you either touch (on a mobile device) or mouse over (on a desktop) the image to be taken about 140 years into the past at the same spot.Click here or the image above to see bigger versions the now-and-then images on Yahoo Homes.

"This project is my way of giving back to the city that has given so much to me," Liles, 31, told Yahoo Homes.

On a walk in August, he happened upon the Brooklyn Collection at the Grand Army Plaza branch of theBrooklyn Public Library. There, he discovered a trove of photographs by George Bradford Brainerd, a little-known innovator who captured everyday images of Brooklyn in the 1870s and '80s. (Liles credits the thesis of Julie C. Moffat for informing him of Brainerd.)

Liles, who had done several series of abandoned places, comparing their present state with historic photographs, decided he had found his next subject.

Locating the sites, some beyond recognition all these years later, was no easy task. Although some of the landmarks were obvious — the Brooklyn Bridge, for example — others involved Sherlock Holmes-like investigation techniques.

Liles discovered that the Brooklyn Daily Eagle had a goldmine of online archives dating to 1841: "Any time I would see words on a photograph, I could search the website and find results. Looking at many search results, I was often able to find advertising for the company I saw on the photo, and it would have a street address."

He'd then bike to the site and try to re-create the shot.

For example, the old black-and-white photo of people enjoying a summer day in Manhattan's Central Park includes the Bethesda Fountain, topped by an angelic statue. The statue is often seen in movies and visited by tourists.

The photo morphs into a modern-day version in sharp color. Same place, different camera. The similarities are no accident. Liles shot the image at the same time of day so that the shadows would appear almost identical.

"I made sure that attention to detail was a big part of all of this, even though I knew that people would view a photo, look for one to two seconds and move on," he recalled.

His favorite: "I really love the Green-Wood Cemetery photograph. Brainerd shot the image from one of the highest points in the cemetery."

He described the place as "massive." "When I finally found the right place ... I looked out into the distance. I saw ships in the water, just as Brainerd saw some 140 years earlier. It was a memorable moment."

During the shoots, Liles was surprised to discover that the area around Brooklyn's Borough Hall looks nothing like it used to. "I believe it's an area where the historic Fulton Street used to extend, but today it's a pedestrian plaza."

Despite some of the bigger changes, Liles believes that Brooklyn residents of the bygone times aren't that different from the ones today. "In Brainerd's photos you see families enjoying picnics, kids playing fetch with dogs, friends enjoying the beach, and people having a nice day in the park."

He added, "Whenever I was out capturing photos on all those weekend mornings, it didn't feel like those people from the 1870s and '80s were here all that long ago."

We're guessing no one was taking selfies back then.





After Jordan Liles came upon a trove of old NYC stills, he painstakingly found the same spots and took photos.
Then-and-now slideshow



"Choose a job you love and you will not have to work a day in your life" (Confucius)

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Luis Miguel Goitizolo

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RE: New York photographer reshoots century-old scenes for armchair time travelers
4/30/2014 3:25:49 AM

Photos: New York scenes, then and now

A selection here, but only of Jordan Liles' photos; you got to visit the gallery and for every color picture, to go to the next one for the corresponding old black and white photo.

(Click on images to enlarge)

Central Park's Bethesda Fountain, 21st century: This fountain, shot by Jordan Liles in the modern day, was dedicated in 1873. The next slide shows George Bradford Brainerd's 18th-century photograph of the same scene. (For all of these photos, we've mimicked Jordan Liles' placement of the current photo first, then the 1800s photo. To see the photos in a smaller but interactive format -- in which you can toggle between the modern version laid over the historical scene -- you can visit his website.)


Green-Wood Cemetery, 21st century: "Finding this spot inside historic Green-Wood Cemetery was an adventure," Liles says. "I first found the location when the trees were full of leaves. I returned in the winter to be able to see the water in the distance."


Canal Street in Manhattan, 21st century: "This was one of the only photos I had to capture while standing in the street in heavy traffic, so that was interesting," Liles said.


Central Park's Bethesda Terrace, 21st century: A different angle photographed from the same position as the Bethesda Fountain picture. [Note: not to be found on this selection].


Brooklyn Heights, 21st century: Liles admits he can't be entirely sure that he's got the right location here, but he thinks it's a "high probability." See why on the next slide. [Note: not to be found on this selection]


Flatbush Town Hall, 21st century: This is at 35 Snyder Ave.


Prospect Park bridge, 21st century: Looking out from the boathouse.


Grand Army Plaza in Brooklyn, 21st century: "I was able to take this photo from a third floor window of the Brooklyn Public Library," Liles says. "It's important for me to note that it appears the Brainerd photo is actually from the western side of the plaza, as opposed to the eastern side where I took my photograph. It's no longer possible to capture a photo from the western side due to tall buildings, so I captured this other angle anyway too since it seemed like such an important photo to include in the project."


Bow Bridge in Central Park, 21st century: The lake was extended, Liles writes, so a foot path visible in the 19th-century photo has been lost.





"Choose a job you love and you will not have to work a day in your life" (Confucius)

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Joyce Parker Hyde

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RE: New York photographer reshoots century-old scenes for armchair time travelers
5/1/2014 4:37:48 AM
This is so much fun! Such a unique way too walk through history.

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Luis Miguel Goitizolo

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RE: New York photographer reshoots century-old scenes for armchair time travelers
5/1/2014 11:22:27 PM

It seems fascinating to me. It could be done with so many places, above all big cities. Provided they have long, interesting histories.

P.S. So glad you visited, Joyce.

"Choose a job you love and you will not have to work a day in your life" (Confucius)

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Joyce Parker Hyde

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RE: New York photographer reshoots century-old scenes for armchair time travelers
5/2/2014 12:23:06 AM
I agree Miguel, I'd love to see my city done, we have a very rich history here in New Orleans.
It was owned by the French and the Spanish; been here since before United States became the United States.
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