natalie kucken

i was flown to new york city for twenty six hours to accept an award at carnegie hall that i won for a photograph of mine. it was the first time i'd ever been there, i had been dreaming of it for months and months. my mind was lost when i took off at sunrise through the clouds. it's another world in the city. the streets are endless and i wanted to walk forever. i felt like i was in a dream the whole time, i couldn't stop staring at the people passing and the building edges and the tree leaf shadows. later in the night i met with photographers jordan tiberio, matt holmes, monika balazy, mary claire roman and sandy honig. it was so surreal to know them online and then to be surrounded by them, they were real. i remember sending a friendship bracelet to mary claire two years ago, and now she was standing in front of me. when i was staring out the back window of a car heading towards queens over the 59th street bridge, i knew i would be back. i plan to stay there for a week or two in august, if you live there and have a spare floor for me to sleep on for any time at all, email me. i will take your picture and tell you stories.