EMPIRE STATE OF LIGHT SERIES

Images from this series have been in galleries in New York City and Miami and minted as NFTs. For more images and more about the series, click here.

THE Charlotte observer

NY City lens

Oculus Rising

It’s a bird! It’s a dinosaur! It’s the World Trade Center Transportation Hub, open at last. This multimedia piece includes photo, text, radio and video. Click to see full story

Hey New York, How’s the Economy Working for You?

This collaborative project explores how New Yorkers around the city feel about the current state of the economy. Click here for full story

Anthony the Seagull

A cart of thrill-seekers inches up a vertical track on the Thunderbolt roller coaster. The waves of the Atlantic Ocean crash onto the beach. The crack of the bat against the ball echoes as Number 21 sprints towards first base.

If you attend a Brooklyn Cyclones baseball game in Coney Island, you’ll see all of this from your seat. However, the most dynamic part of the MCU Park experience is the almost seven-foot tall plush bird Sandy the Seagull. He jumps on seats, dances to the YMCA and doles out high-fives and hugs to adults and children alike. Sandy is the mascot for the Mets-affiliated minor league baseball team. Many fans say that he is the heart of the team and the reason they come to games. Some even bake him cookies and cupcakes to show their appreciation. Sandy can’t eat these desserts but the man inside the suit can, although he prefers the park's pulled pork BBQ nachos.

Anthony Furia is a 35-year-old Brooklyn resident who loves children and sports. He has a master’s degree in psychology from Columbia University and has been putting on padding, an over-sized baseball uniform and a 25-pound seagull head for the past seven seasons.

“The players can’t jump into the stands," said Furia. "You’re the piece of the puzzle that brings the game to the fans. It’s against myself every day to be better than I was the day before."