It’s interesting to think that I might have lived out all of my ‘stereotypical’ New York City experiences in three weeks rather than the year and a half prior to this job. 

Select events from 9/15/24 - 10/4/24: 1) I walked under the Manhattan Bridge every day to get to work, 2) I sent off clothes to be laundered, 3) I ate a bagel at breakfast four times a week, 4) I saw three freshly dead rats on the sidewalk, 5) I asked someone on a date, and they brought their girlfriend, 6) I offered advice to a stranger on the street, and was reprimanded. 

Looking back on it now, it paints a rather sitcom-worthy picture of a NYC experience, but now that I have both, how do I know which was more real? There exists an intriguing dichotomy between what we want NYC to be and the patterns we individually create in our daily lives. The ‘picture perfect’ New York experience is also its own unique version of ‘picture perfect’. Rather than renaissance grandeur, rose-scented softness or shimmering skies— we want the grit, the bark, the noise… the story. 

For my artistic exploration in NYC, I decided on a classic: street photography. There is something so relational and envy-inducing about the photo. Especially a photo of the elusive NYC life: contrasting confidence and vulnerability, anonymity and striking singularity. The desire to be a part of something, while simultaneously clinging with a death grip to our individual narratives. 

Going into this I had a grand plan for research, method, etc… but most of that came afterwards. Work was ramping up, the looming shadow of my un-probed resources was growing tall, and my delusion of photographic experience from childhood was looking more promising by the day. So I decided that since street photography was raw, spontaneous, emotional, and ‘en vivre’, I would set out on my own — bare-assed and wide-eyed. 

Methods: 

Two disposable film cameras (Fuji) • 18 hours in NYC (a camera in each pocket) • Guiding theme: ‘On the Move’ • A slightly melancholic jazz playlist (on repeat)

What I learned: 

• You need flash more often than you think

• Despite the allure and drama of portraits, I really don’t feel comfortable taking a photo of someone else without their permission 

  —> Later note: I don’t really feel inclined to ask them for their permission either. For what purpose would I need capture that moment of their life and print it in high gloss? Why do I need that piece of them? *needs more talk/thought*

• It’s nice to have a camera in your pocket, because you stop for the small things

What I present to you in this iteration of the mail series are my photos: on the move. Each photo is backed by a (clean) piece of trash, which felt very celebratory of the American capitalistic personality, as well as New York’s unique ability to make trash look cool. Some of the photos are collaged and compiled so as to enhance their visual and narrative qualities. And because you should always play with your food.