When Words Fail is more than just a photo book—it’s a chronicle of my personal journey through New York City at twilight during a time of bereavement, sadness and loss.
Each page tells a story of transition, resilience, and the quiet moments in between. Each page is a glimpse of life in New York at twilight time.
In this post, I’m sharing a sneak peek inside the book and for the first time, and sharing the story behind some of my favorite images.
© 2024 Pamela Thomas-Graham
Page 81 is a photo of a water tower viewed between the rungs of a wire chain link fence. I took this photo on Wythe Avenue in Williamsburg at dusk one autumn evening. I loved the symmetry of how the fence aligned with the string of Edison lights that adorned the open lot, and how the water tower was framed perfectly in the center.
I was also drawn to the tensions inherent in this place. Brilliant blue sky meets golden artificial lights. The wild freedom of graffiti meets the strict containment of the fence. The illuminated windows are orderly and spaced evenly, while below them, there’s a chaos of images and objects of varying sizes and degrees of beauty.
The blue of the sky is mirrored in the blue of the portrait in the lower center of the frame. The scene seemingly both invited me into the space (“Welcome to Brooklyn”) and forbade me to enter (chain link fence.)
Photographs are cherished in many ways because they capture a unique moment that won’t come again. I walked past this exact spot about a year after I took this photo, and almost everything in the image is gone. Including the water tower. I realized then how lucky I was to have seen it, and to have captured it for others to see. New York is ever-changing, which makes it a particularly compelling place to shoot, especially at twilight.
All of these elements make this one of my favorite photos from When Words Fail.
Each image in the photo book When Words Fail is a reflection of the fleeting, beautiful moments of twilight in New York City—the space between day and night, between the known and unknown, between the dog and the wolf.
Want to see more? Get early access to this new photo book of New York City at twilight before the official launch on April 8.