Melanie Einzig, a freelance photographer based in New York, has been taking photographs most of her life and has been committed to making art since her early teen years. At present, she makes a living doing a combination of photojournalism and event photography. She is available for interesting assignments and event coverage. More of her work can be viewed at www.witnessx.com.

Einzig’s work is on display in a show titled "Straight Arrows" at the Ariel Meyerowitz Gallery (580 Broadway 12th Floor, www.artnet.com/arielmeyerowitz.html )through March 17th. The exhibition highlights the work of four photographers--Matt Harnett, Melanie Einzig, Gus Powell and Peter Kayafas. It is a celebration of the back-to-the-basics approach to street photography. The pictures in the show contain no computer manipulation, no enhanced lighting or choreographed scenes. They are attempts to record reality in all its power, beauty, magic and authenticity.

"The Mocker," NYC 2000

I attended a Reclaim the Streets Festival in lower Manhattan. The revelers had just taken the streets. There were costumed dancers and musicians, a giant credit card tower and a huge globe in a shopping cart that the cops quickly knocked over and deflated. These men were watching the parade when this costumed gal ran over and took a pose mocking them. It's one of my favorite photos.

"The Today Show," NYC 2001

For some curious and slightly perverse reason I have been watching the Today Show on a daily basis. I don’t know if it is to curb the morning dread while the caffeine kicks in or if it really is an intellectual inquiry. I am curious about the structure of the show, the products it endorses and the way it shapes public opinion, seducing American citizens to come to New York City screaming to be a part of the NBC family. I start to feel really pathetic for participating. One snowy day I was out taking pictures in Midtown and I saw this person hunched over coming towards me. Just when he passed this ad, I saw myself in his gesture, for a moment--only his situation seemed significantly more troubling beneath smiling big brother and sister Matt and Katie.

"Confrontation on 117th St.," Million Youth March, NYC 1998

It was 1998 and I was out taking photos at the first Million Youth March. Because of the excessive policing it was impossible to move around. I think the police tactic was to divide and conquer Lennox Avenue. I got tired so I went to the edge of the parade area. On 117th Street there was a group of kids playing with the cops, trying on their riot gear and joking around. Suddenly the big chief came over to break up the action. This boy was still playing and told the Chief to get out of his way. I don’t think it was appreciated because the policeman looks serious and has his hand on his gun. To me, this picture serves as a metaphor for the entire event.

"Hot Day," NYC 1999

I was freelancing for AP and was sent out to do weather features. I came back with this photo. The editors thought it was a very artistic shot and asked for names of all those pictured. Unfortunately, I had a terrible habit of not getting anyone’s names for my captions. Wasn’t the beauty and rhythm enough? My who-what-why-where faculty was slightly underdeveloped at this time but the picture somehow made its way on the wire with the caption reading only: A hot day in New York City. I think someone got in trouble for it.

"News Corporation," NYC 1998

I had been working on a series of photos called "Midtown" where I was striving to record the dwarfing and dehumanizing effects of corporate culture. This photo was taken right outside Fox News Corporation on 6th Avenue. I don’t know why this woman was crying. Don’t most people in the working world try to do their crying in private? The other figures in the photo didn’t seem to notice. This was one in a series of photos where professionally dressed people were displaying their grief, malaise or exhaustion for the entire world to see.

"Cy Twombly Room," Philadelphia, 1999

Wouldn’t it be boring to work as a museum guard? Telling people not to take pictures, not to touch the art and repeatedly explaining how to get to the restrooms and the gift shop. I was happy to see that this woman decided to check out for a spell. It made me confident that the art was having its subversive effect of stimulating the imagination and the life of dreams where all things are possible.