This visual essay by Turner Neal is a journey in which the author plans to take readers through the city of New York, by viewing images in a sequence which he created. Neal had been on a trip to New York himself but thought that there was more meaning behind just snapping these pictures for everyone to see. He wants the reader to realize that New York is truly a beautiful place in which everyone should travel to see. Many of the images he uses are used to show the true beauty which lies throughout the city. Many images are positive images used to show the reader the many places which can go and have fun and see beautiful spots, but then he also throws one image of a depressing view which correlates with the other images in that everyplace has the good and the bad but uses this images as an example of how the city has responded and tried to pull the positive view out of the image. The pictures in this essay take viewers all across the city to show them the beauty of the city, the places they should see and what to pay attention to when viewing these attractions, and also the importance of what they mean as a whole.

The first image of this portfolio is a skyline view which looks over the city. This picture, which off in the distance can show that the sun has just rose, gives the sky a glossy look which gives the illusion that the clouds are moving. There are many different buildings in this image. The image manages to capture tall buildings which soar above the city to smaller buildings which show the older, smaller building which show the city has been there for many years before skyscrapers were able to be built. The angle from which this picture is taken gives it the feeling that the city just goes on forever. The water on the outside edges of the image shows there is a bay surrounding the city which creates an even more beautiful sight to be seen. Neal chooses to use this image of an overview of the city because he wants to show people what they would see as they flew into the city for a vacation and show the city as a whole.

The second image is a ground view from Times Square. Many people especially from America and even all over the world have heard of times square and know that it is in New York.  This image has many aspects to show in just this small area.  The way this image is taken causes the taxies to be blurry which shows they are in motion. This is a good example that not many people have cars in New York. The main focus of this image is the first yellow taxi which is to show the reader that not only is Times Square somewhere to visit but also that they will be transporting around the city in a taxi. There is only one man that is noticeable in this image. There is not much focus on him or not seeing other people in the image, so what exactly makes this a special place. Paying attention to the background of the images at the ground level Neal is able to capture stores in this image which is a big attraction for the ground level. Last he wants the reader to notice the signs which are brightly colored and light up the area. They are not meant to be the main focus but because they are so bright should catch the eye of anyone before seeing anything else. Times square has much going on from stores to attractions which makes it a must see area while there.

The next image wants to take people to a major area that is not on the main land of New York. It is a spot one must see if by taking a boat out to it to view from up close or by just viewing it from the mainland. The Statue of Liberty is the first thing which should catch anyone’s eye. It is in the front of this picture and shows it is surrounded by water. The statue of liberty is only reachable by boat which makes it one of the more difficult sights to get right up next too because of the cost of a ferry and having to be controlled by weather circumstances. In this image, it is a bright sunny day which makes the ferry ride easily accessible. From where the image is taken the artist want the viewer to recognize everything in this image after the main focal point. One should also pay attention to the buildings next which from this lower view in the bay compared to the statue cause the buildings to seem much smaller than truly are. The lower view from this angle gives a different emphasis from the first image about how big the buildings actually are. These buildings are not the same building from the first image but show many more of all the skyscrapers and tall buildings of New York. Looking closely at the front of the land shows people go there to look at the statue of liberty sitting out in the bay. Looking onto land you can see there is trees growing which shows it is not just commercial buildings with no agriculture around. This image, being up close shows the true beauty and detail which the artist wishes to portray. 

The next image is a realization of what happened to the United States. This image can be seen as a sad image which does not fit in with the others. Neal put it in to show how the city responded. The first thing one should realize is all the stones with peoples name etched into them. They are to recognize the deaths of everyone from the 9/11 terrorist attack. Each name is of someone else and to someone is a truly special name which could have been a loved one or dear friend. Next one should recognize the deep fountain of water. The artist uses this angle to show how the fountain goes deep into the earth. This is symbolic because it shows how deep the buildings were and that people were trapped down there when the buildings fell. The author wants the reader to realize the many people around closing viewing the stone, taking pictures and just reflecting on what they see. Yes, this is first viewed as the only depressing picture so far but from the meaning of this picture he wants the reader to see the positive in that it is a memorabilia for not just the city but the entire country.

This last image shows something a little different than any of the other images. There are three gentlemen standing in front of a sign that says Lion King. If the viewer reads below the image, it shows this picture was taking in front of the famous Broadway. Since the gentlemen are dressed up nicely in button downs and blazers, he wants to show that Broadway is a fancier place than anywhere else. There are many people walking down the street which shows this is a busy area but why? Broadway is where all the plays are shown and that day The Lion King was played. Looking closely at the people in this image, which is the main focus, he shows the two gentlemen on the left are happy to be taking this picture and smiling hard. The man on the right does not look so happy; his face does not show much emotion and makes it like he does not want to be there anymore or just does not like the people in the picture. This can matter because the two gentlemen on the left seem to be enjoying this trip and what is going on around them. The gentleman on the right could still be enjoying the trip but he has a soft, sarcastic looking smile which shows him to be annoyed not want to be there.

This portfolio of images shows many different aspects of New York, from an overview of the city to many tourist’s attractions that are a part of New Yorkers everyday life. The order he puts these images shows an emphasis on what people coming from a plane can see on their ride in, to all the places they may visit while in the city. The author wants his viewers to see a view of all these places and make them truly feel like they are in New York.  The author finishes with an image of three guys standing in front of Broadway which could mean many different things but shows the trip that these guys have had, where they have been and what all they have done. With the way the men are standing in this picture he wants to show that it was an enjoyable trip finish off together. He wants the viewer to understand that these places are not just places people see pictures of or are known as major attractions in New York, but that people actually go here and if they are tourist they should make sure to stop at these places and many more.
