Fort Greene Park Dance Party: Soul Summit 2018

Fort Greene Park located in Brooklyn hosts one of the best dancing events in New York City. Annually twice a year in the months of July and August, Soul Summit sponsors a mid-afternoon til dusk dance party. The thumping and beating sounds of afro-beats and house music were just as good as it could possibly get. Hundreds of folks expressing themselves through dance as the music permeated their souls.

“There is nothing in the world like the human expression”

I look forward to photographing this event each year. But this year I was able to capture some exceptional images using my Nikon D810 and Nikkor 85mm lens. This combination paired well, as I usually use a zoom lens for events like this.  There is something special about a photograph when using a prime lens. I am happy with the creamy backgrounds I am able to achieve with them.

My eyes are drawn to the folks dressed in colorful and stylish garments and I look for the unique expressions upon each face. They say the eyes are the windows to one's soul and I seek to zero in on them. There is nothing in the world like the human expression and what a privilege it is for me to be able to share it.

Here are some images from the August Soul Summit 2018. I hope you will enjoy them as I try to communicate the vibe of this spectacular dance event.

Soul Summit July '18

The power of music. It can bring people together from all walks of life.  It also has the ability to unite ethnicity, religion, and folks from all sexual orientation. The rhythms from the Soul Summit located in Fort Greene Brooklyn could be felt deep within one's soul. It crossed economic boundaries, causing poor and rich to forget their status as they danced. Young and old alike danced carefree as the DJ mixed the music. It's an event like no other in New York City.

Can we say that music is a gift from heaven? Is there anything else in the world that unites people regardless of language? It is said that "music is the great uniter".

The Soul Summit can be called heaven on earth to some. The thumping bass of the house music permeating the body. The sounds of the repetitious beats placing the crowd into a hypnotic trance take place twice every year in Fort Greene Park. People travel from Canada, Europe and many parts of the United States to attend. 

Thousands of people sprawled out across the park lawns and hillsides enjoying friends and family as the music played in the background. There was the smell of barbeque and food cooking on the grill. Vendors gathered around the base of the Prison Ship Martyrs' Monument selling their specialties.

 I look forward to photographing this event each year. The Soul Summit is a photographer's paradise. There is never a lack of subjects to photograph and showcase their love for this event. Some folks come dressed in their best Afrocentric look. The beautiful pageantry of colorful outfits and the authenticity of ethnic pride can be seen on their faces as they walked the park grounds.

 Here are some special moments I was able to capture with my camera:

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