Thanks to an understanding and long suffering other half I was able to indulge my love of street photography within our recent family trip to New York. For me New York is the Mecca of street photography, with a look and a feel that is instantly recognisable. It doesn't matter how much of a fan you are, you can't just turn up to Lords or Wembley and decide to bowl a few overs or a have kick about, and yet wondering through the streets of Manhattan I always feel like I have been allowed on to the biggest, most famous photographic set of them all. The noise, smells, the light and energy of people create a place where it feels a great director from above has shouted 'Action!' and everyone is playing their part. Luckily, it is also saturated with camera toting tourists, making it one of if not the most easiest places to blend in and quietly get on with what you want to shoot.
Gallery 1 - Lower and Mid Town
I'm not keen on the 'mug shot' of thrusting a camera in unsuspecting face, but it amazed me how close you could get without a bat of an eye lid. Unusually for me, my black and white images were few and far between. New York for many photographers is the place where they convert to colour and away from black and white forever. I'm not sure I'm going that far, but that constant vibrancy of life and colour, I can certainly see why.
Gallery 2 - Black and White
Gallery 3 - Up close and personal
I've realised over the last year or so that the term and genre of street photography is a contentious one with forums overflowing with arguments about is or isn't included. If, however they provide a smell and a sense of the streets of New York, then I have at least in part succeeded.
Next time: This ain't Kansas now Dorothy... A brief trip, but very memorable trip to Coney Island.
