The last few times I've stopped to take some pictures for some reason I've been noticing walls and how they are obviously the photo background, especially on a street, for the people walking back and forth. If the light's right, people and brick and mortar can be very eye catching.

Main Manhattan Post Office at the start of major reconstruction.

Like this shot I got last year on Pell Street in Chinatown. Someone sure looks to be in a hurry.

Maybe it's the roll gates that either are or get painted with glaring patterns and images. That's what caught my eye last week.

It's almost as if you can see how people feel by the way they walk and look around.

Like the woman in the picture above. I can almost hear her say "Get lost!" or something along those lines. :P

While the officer to the right is casually going about her job. Cameras don't faze her.

Sometimes the energy is almost palpable, and in sync too.

Same scene.

Same roll gates.

But serenity rules.

La vie en rose.

Sometimes the mood isn't that clear, at least to me. There's interaction as well as individual projections. And maybe even some reflections on the scene.

I was on Avenue A in the East Village and the sunlight was perfect for bringing out the texture of a brick wall with a simple contrasting pattern.

This shot gives a wide look at the scene.

Isn't it strange how even though the ground is level it seems as if the people are struggling to move as if it were a steep incline?

 A little wide angle distortion but that can't hide the sense that this guy isn't going to be hanging around.

Contrast that with the disarming curiosity of youth that can't suppress a shy giggle.

Is there a walk for when your day's work is done?

Whether it's with the morning sun ..

.. or evening.

In some cases that background brick wall is the work place. Here's a bicycle repair shop that's on the street in the East Village.

That brick wall may be the setting for some after work relaxation.

Or another sort of "pit-stop" in a long bike ride.

But walls are sometimes just walls and not backgrounds and their job is to keep things separated.

In this case, "us" from whatever is on the other side of that huge gate.

Walls are used for ads, and don't we all know it?

But they're also used for other forms of message and expression.

Walls can be scary, like those of haunted houses.

.. or surrounding.

.. and confining.

Walls can also reflect back on us.

But then usually walls are just walls.

I think that's enough walls for a good while, but there is one last one ..

Incidentally, these gentlemen are not tap dancing Senators nor do they have any inclination along those lines.

Not that there's anything wrong with tap dancing.