Ferry Street
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Title
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Ferry Street
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Description
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In the first image, multitudes of framing devices are employed to show a grand view of Ferry Street, the most vibrant street in the Ironbound. Its stores are rarely without business and the street is commonly packed with traffic jams. The street is considered the commercial heart of the neighborhood in Newark, NJ and the Hispanic dominance is apparent One of the first things that catch the viewer’s eye are the immigrants walking up the street and looking at the stores. The camera distance is close enough that it makes the viewer feel like he or she is right on the street with the people there. The faces of the immigrants are clearly visible creating a much more personal relationship between the audience and image creating a mirror of emotions between that of the viewer and the people in the photograph. Another noticeable piece of this picture is the first sign that is shown sticking out of the store. It not only say “Portuguese Gift Shop” in large English words, but also says “Casa dos Presentes” in Portuguese. This is incredibly meaningful as it’s exceedingly welcoming for Americans as well as Latinos and especially immigrants that may not know the language. It’s almost a separate “welcome” sign for immigrants. The camera angle allows the audience to be on the street as well as see all the way down it. Looking down the street, it looks like stores go on forever, which tell the viewer that this is a fruitful street. Looking into the store, it appears the Gift Shop is selling a multitude of items including clothes with Portuguese colors on it, showing the pride of the owner’s nationality. This image affects the audience as it shows one of the most prolific streets in Newark and how welcoming it is for the immigrant, creating an image of acceptance and warmth for immigrants and natives alike.
