Walking the streets of Manhattan is an interesting experience for a guy originally from a very small town in central Illinois. I had always thought that I wouldn't like New York but my first visit there in 2003 with my partner (Amy) was so much fun. Our short one week trip went so quickly though. The return visit in October, 2006 was even better but was a bit short as well. I love the textures, architecture, history, and experiences you can have. With that said, it can also be a bit unpleasant at times but overall it 's worth the effort. I still have mixed feelings about the big city which come from growing up in a small

town but my favorite thing when visiting is walking the streets and shooting. Amy can get a little upset with me though as I usually have to stop often and photograph something that catches my eye. On this last trip, we spent the majority of our time walking, eating and stopping here and there for shots. I would see Amy give me that piercing glance and knew that I was pushing her patience. Anyway, the following pages are a few snaps from the trip. In the May-June issue of PhatBelt I'll publish Part 2 covering Chinatown, WTC and some waterfront shots.