Looking at life up close with an eye on storytelling is always a good personal assignment. What stories can you tell about the 25th St Market muses in New York?

Assignment: starting at the north end of Madison Square Park (25th & Fifth) in front of the statue of admiral David Farragut, walk west to the 25th St Flea Market between Broadway and Sixth Ave. The Market is filled with ephemera, paraphernalia, nostalgia, objects, jewelry, and colorful characters. It rivals the best Marches aux Puces in Paris with its random treasures and idiosyncratic vendors.

How to capture all the details? Try a 50mm lens. Before you spend money on a new lens use what you own to capture the ecclectic array of memorabiia, antiques, and other vintage goods. Make use of the natural lighting - in strong sunlight try a polarizer to balance highlights and shadows. For the indoor garage space, test out high ISO photography.

Keywords: dare, play, contextualize.