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Photography: Springtime in Quarantined New York Part 4

William Ruben Helms
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Photography: Springtime in Quarantined New York Part 4

The other day, I went on a very long walk — about 5 miles or so — through my neighborhood and Flushing Meadows-Corona Park with my Canon 77D.  We’ve been practicing social distancing and have been in quarantine for the past 50 days or so and admittedly, it’s still odd to be out and about in New York and not see many people around. All of this quiet is just unsettling to me.

The neighborhoods of Elmhurst, Jackson Heights and Corona have been hit the hardest by this pandemic. As a Queens native, I shit on my home borough all the time, and for a variety of pretty valid reasons, including the weird conservative streak among significant portions of the population, and the penchant for NIMBYism. But the borough’s diversity and eclecticism has taught me lessons on how to truly be a global citizen that I’ve taken with me everywhere I’ve traveled. Queens is one of the few places in the world that I know that openly says “Come whatever you are! Come whoever you are! Come! Come!”

The soundtrack for my walk including Yeah Yeah Yeahs Is Is EP and Fever to Tell, Atmosphere‘s Mi Vida Local and The Beat Escape‘s Life Is Short, the Answer’s Long.  Photos below.

I came across this mural while walking up Junction Blvd. to Corona Ave. Considering the impact that COVID-19 has had on Queens — particularly in Corona — this particular piece seems even more fitting than ever. May we get out of this — and soon!

Rio de Plata Bakery, Corona Queens.
All the Right, Corona Queens, NYC.

Geeta Temple in Corona, Queens. Is there anything more Queens than a Hindu temple on one side of the street and a bodega on the opposite side?

Typical row houses in Corona.
The Lemon Ice King of Corona brings back some very fond childhood memories of walking back and forth to Flushing Meadows-Corona Park and stopping here. It was kind of comforting to see that they’re still open. 
Shoes on a porch, Corona, New  York.

There’s something about the golden hour that captures my eye and my imagination. At the time, There was a gentle breeze that was blowing the cherry blossoms everywhere and the light looked as it did. It was a very simple beauty that can still be found in these dark times –and I wish I could have been able to accurately capture it with my camera. But no such luck.

For these photos and more, check out the Flickr set here: https://flic.kr/s/aHsmMTsFwj

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