Mitvah Tank, by Keith Goldstein

I was on my regular lunchtime walk. I decided to walk up Fifth Avenue to 42nd Street past the New York Public Library and return to work by walking back downtown along Sixth Avenue. As I approached the Library I heard this commotion and music. I looked up Fifth Avenue and saw a parade of about a dozen Mitvah Tanks driving past me. A Mitzvah tank is a vehicle used by the Orthodox Jewish practitioners of Chabad-Lubavitch Hasidism as a portable “educational and outreach center”. Mitzvah tanks have been commonplace on the streets of New York City since 1974. Today they are found all over the globe in countries where Chabad is active. The commotion drew quite a crowd. I quickly snapped a shot of one the “Tanks” as they passed before the crowd got too deep.

Olympus Pen-F with Panasonic Lumix G 14mm 2.5 | Exposure 1/1250 @ f/7.1 | ISO 1250
Mitvah Tank, by Keith Goldstein

Award Winner: Photo of the Day | May 24
Award Score: 69 (Value 13, Clarity 13, Composition 18, Style 13, Skill 12)
Photo of the Day Award Category: Street Photography
Photograph Location: Washington Heights, New York | The United States

Photographer: Keith Goldstein (Hamilton Heights, New York City, New York) Registered
Keith Goldstein was born in Brooklyn, New York, in 1957. Keith was interested in art for as long as he can remember, with his mother being his biggest influence and supporter, encouraging him in his earliest artistic endeavors. Keith’s first connection with photography came about in high school when he was given a collection of photography magazines to draw from. Instead of drawing from them, he began to read them, becoming extremely fascinated with the medium. It wasn’t until he dropped out of college after his second year, and was working in a warehouse, that he decided on photography as a means to creative expression. Keith began studies at night school with David Attie and moved into New York City, receiving his BFA with Honors in photography from the School of Visual Arts. It was there, working with Tad Yamashiro, that he began to experiment with a more emotive way of expression. Wanting to explore this further, Keith went on to continue his experimentation with Carl Toth at Cranbrook Academy of Art. After receiving his MFA in Photography, he subsequently moved back to New York City and began, through a course of personal experiences, to unravel everything that he knew and was for the next 15 years of his life. Keith has been exhibiting his work since 1980. His work has been published in many publications including – ABC News Australia, Now Public, Flak Magazine, JPEG Magazine, File Magazine, Snaps Magazine, SHOTS, Boulevard, Mercury Records, Diversion Magazine, Cadillac Motors, I Magazine, Penquin/Putnam, Simon & Shuster, St. Martin’s Press, and on many book covers. Keith’s tools to finding his place and exploring his feelings towards the world have always been simple – one camera and a couple of lenses. “Being unencumbered does allow you the most freedom”, he says. Keith has been making his living as fine art photographer, a stock shooter, a corporate event photographer, and a photo editor.

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