“Yummy Manhole” by Ner Beck.

Upper West Sider Ner Beck, a graphic designer and photographer, is exhibiting his photographs of “Lost and Found West Side Street Art” at Morningside Heights Public Library, 2900 Broadway, 113th Street and Broadway, through May 12. His photos take everyday items, such as a painted fire hydrant, and turn them into a surprising piece of art.

Where do you draw your inspiration for taking photos on the street?

I shoot every day as I go on my daily walks on the West Side. I have learned to walk at a relaxed pace and to soften my vision, so that the subjects come forward to catch my attention. I have found that the trick is to not look too hard for an image to photograph, and to wait for the image to appear. It is a little like when we lay on our backs, stare up at the clouds and start seeing animal or human forms appear. It might be a glowing color on an overcast rainy day, two circles that make a pair of eyes that speak to you, or a juxtaposition of elements that tell a story for that moment. Many of my images contain faces. They have always been interesting to me because they express such a range of emotions to everyone in such a visceral way. They can be compelling in the same way a child loves their stuffed animal or when an adult looks into the face of a family member or their pet. Masks have had an important historical significance and always commanded everyone’s attention.

What was your first piece and where did you find it?

I started shooting street art in 1965 as my final senior project in art college. After graduating I worked as a graphic designer for 45 years. But, I always maintained my interest in found street art. Over the past year I picked up my digital camera and started my shooting walks again. I have lived on the West Side since 1968, and one of the great adventures was treasure hunting on the street for tossed-out furniture and art objects. My photography is a continuation on that theme. My first piece in this series was “Patriotic Plug.” During the 1976 Bicentennial, neighborhood residents painted this fire plug in red, white and blue, and it still survives today in front on Ben & Jerry’s at 100th and Broadway.

What kind of equipment do you use?

When I started my college project I used to use a little 1940s Leica because I could slip it in my pocket and travel light. Today I have a tiny Nikon S7C that is only a little bigger than a credit card but takes very high-resolution photos.

What makes an item photo-worthy?

The image must stop me in my tracks and tell me an interesting story that I have never heard before. It has to have a strong emotion. Humor, sadness, fear, abandonment or something expressing itself in a powerful personal way.

What is your favorite photo and why? 

It is very hard to pick just one photograph because every picture contains a unique message for me. But I think the one that relates to me the most is “Nature Wins One,” which is a tree eating a tire. That tree is on 100th Street between Amsterdam and Columbus across from the Bloomingdale Library Branch. I believe the tire was attached to the tree base in the parking lot to protect the tree from cars bumping and damaging the bark. Over time the tree has grown around and engulfed and crushed the tire. A timeworn urban battle.

By Kristina Diggins-Reisinger

Any vintage style devotee, shopaholic or foodie would feel right at home in Nolita. Boutiques, chic shops and eccentric bars and cafés line the streets. In the midst of this trendy neighborhood, I found CNET’s Hands-On Holiday Guide, a tech-centric pop-up shop for the gizmo whiz in your life.

Hosted through Sunday, Nov. 13, the four-dimensional guide found a temporary home at Openhouse Gallery. The place was packed with electronic gurus and customers drooling over walls lined with the latest toys accompanied by helpful explanatory note cards for technological amateurs like myself.

CAMERAS

When I entered the shop, I was met with an array of featured cameras, including the Canon EOS Rebel T3i, the Nikon D3100 and the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX9V. The Canon Rebel was on the pricier side, starting at $659.99. This finely tuned piece of machinery boasts excellent video capabilities as well as high image quality. When shooting stills and video, however, the Rebel’s controls can be frustrating to operate, and it’s not terribly fast for spontaneous shooting. This wouldn’t be a good option for parents like myself looking to capture those first steps.

Conversely, the Nikon D3100 has a markedly smaller viewfinder but features excellent photo quality and well laid-out buttons and controls.

The one that nabbed CNET’s editor’s pick, however, was the Sony Cyber-shot. While considerably more affordable at $269.99, it boasts shooting features including face detection and image stabilization.

According to the experts, one key piece of advice this holiday season if you are buying a camera is to ditch any obsession with megapixels. Most cameras on the market today have more than enough megapixels to get the job done. Instead, opt for a cheaper body but a higher quality lens. Buying an expensive camera and putting a cheap lens on it is like buying a Lamborghini and putting a four-cylinder engine in it; better to buy a Honda Civic and add a souped-up V-8. The lens is what focuses light so your pictures are crystal clear.

ENTERTAINMENT 

For the in-home entertainment field there were three clear frontrunners: Apple TV, Microsoft Xbox 360 Slim and Sony PlayStation 3 Slim. Apple TV lets you stream all of the movies and TV shows available on iTunes to your HDTV on a pay-per-view basis. It offers Netflix, streams content from any iOS device or computer running iTunes and costs about $349. The Apple TV, however, won’t work with older, pre-HD TVs.

A mammoth product in terms of features, the Xbox Slim, at $299, includes a sleeker design, much quieter operation, a better cooling system, touch-sensitive power and disc tray, 250GB hard drive, built-in Wi-Fi and five USB ports. The new Xbox, however, doesn’t warrant a purchase if you already own a working older version.

The Sony PlayStation 3 Slim, also $299, won editor’s top pick and is sure to indulge your gaming needs with all the best features of the Xbox Slim plus a Blu-ray and DVD player.

COMPUTERS

If you are looking to splurge for your loved one this season with a fancy new computer, the first question to ask yourself is, how often do they travel? If they seem to be out and about quite often, a laptop with a screen that has added weight might slow them down. Pick one with more compact dimensions, around 13 inches in length, but skip the Netbook, since your smart phone isn’t significantly smaller and still offers all the same functions.

CNET editor-at-large Brian Cooley’s presentation encouraged consumers not to fear the death of the PC. Tablets and smart phones are an adjunct, but people are still using PCs as their home base.

CNET’s shop featured laptops including the Apple MacBook Pro 2011, Dell XPS 14z and HP Pavilion dm1z. At $1,700, the MacBook Pro offers incremental updates to its processor and, according to the CNET experts, has the best trackpad and gesture controls of any current laptop. The Dell XPS 14z is attractive with its unprecedentedly thin body and packs all the punch of a 14-inch laptop in a 13-inch body, with plenty of configuration options.

Winning the editor’s pick was the HP Pavilion dm1z, a far more affordable laptop at roughly $400 than its competitors that features a better touch pad and updated processor.

SMART PHONES 

Okay, let’s talk smart phones. Android vs. iPhone: which is better? While the iPhone offers tons of music and a simple, intuitive interface, Android offers more control. When buying a smart phone as a gift, remember to think about the tech ecosystem the person is already submersed in. Chances are, if your sister owns an iPod, iPad and a MacBook, she is going to want to stick with the iPhone so she can easily transfer data between devices.

At her talk, CNET’s Jessica Dolcourt discussed the hottest smart phones and highlighted the Droid Razor, which was released on 11/11/11 and is, for a limited time, being sold for $111.11. The Razor is a 4G phone with HD display, 8 megapixel camera and splash resistant screen, in case someone spills the eggnog.

The iPhone 4S will run you about $299, but aside from its faster processor and upgraded camera, there isn’t much there that the iPhone 4 didn’t already have. The editor’s pick was the Galaxy Nexus, featuring a huge 4.65-inch HD display and a slightly curved face intended to hug your cheek when holding the phone to your ear, which offers impeccable speed.

TELEVISIONS

LG advertised its latest TV with the phrase, “Seeing believes.” Their new LG Cinema 3D TV offers 2D and 3D conversion functions, smart TV and a magic motion remote. Like a mouse for a smart TV, the remote lets you drag, flick and select your preferences without the hassle of using multiple buttons and arrow keys.

Other featured televisions were the Samsung PN51D7000 and Sony Bravia KDL-46NX720. The Samsung, at $1,200, offers outstanding overall picture quality, with excellent black-level performance and extremely accurate color. Key features include built-in Wi-Fi, comprehensive picture controls and more apps and streaming services than competitors. At $1,099, the Sony Bravia produces deeper black levels than any LED-based TV tested and includes built-in Wi-Fi as well as an Internet suite that streams services and widgets.

Visit www.cnet.com for more information on these and other products. Happy shopping!

A CNET techie, one of many, helped shoppers in Nolita decipher the best gadgets for the holiday season at a pop-up shop at the Openhouse Gallery. Photo courtesy of CNET