Street photography in New York

Man walks past steam in an authentic street photography in New York scene.
Street photography in New York captures a man with three rats on his shoulders and a cigarette.
Man reaching for food containers from a street-level opening, a classic scene of street photography in New York.

AMERICAN STORIES

Street photography in New York was for me a great occasion to experience a “different” New York, far from the touristy shots. Pure life and great people

MEET ME

When it comes to big cities, it seems, that everything has been told about them and that their beauty has been shown in all ways possible.

  • Asian man in apron sits at a market stall with vegetables. Another person stands behind him.
  • Man in cowboy hat sits on sidewalk, showing middle finger. Black cat decal on window.
  • Man sits on a bench outside a salon displaying beauty treatments and hairstyles.
  • Woman with newspapers and shopping cart stands by Forever Health Pharmacy with New York Lottery sign.
  • Two men wearing hard hats stand together, with one arm around the other.
  • Man in blue cap and hoodie on phone, while another man drinks water near a street scene.
  • Man with tongue out in a Rugrats hoodie and leather jacket on a city street.
  • Man in a coat sits on the sidewalk smiling in front of a Boar's Head deli advertisement.

Street photography in New York was for me a great occasion to experience a “different” New York, far from the touristy shots. Pure life and great people

Man on ladder working on a red structure, capturing street photography in New York with Times Square in the background.

Street photography in New York: people going through their everyday lives will amaze you

  • Crowded Times Square with people sitting at outdoor tables near digital billboards.
  • Crowd in Times Square, New York, surrounded by towering buildings and large digital billboards.
  • New York City street scene with a skyscraper construction site dominating the skyline.
  • Times Square, New York City, with crowds, bright billboards including "MANIAC" and "DOUGH!", and tall buildings.
  • Ruinous wooden structures in foreground with New York City skyline in background.
  • New York City skyline with One World Trade Center at sunset, viewed from a pier.
  • Doyle's Corner restaurant and bar on a brick building with patrons outside.
  • Underneath a massive bridge at dusk, looking up at the steel structure and glowing lights.
  • New York City skyline at night with Brooklyn and Manhattan Bridges illuminated across the water.
  • Manhattan Bridge illuminated at night, overlooking a calm river with city lights and people on the shore.

I was amazed by Street Photography in New York, because the people, the situations, the events are uncommon and extraordinary.

  • Several men sit on a red staircase outside a shop, with one in the foreground holding sticks.
  • Street scene with people at a food stall and a Manhattan Bridge sign.
  • Man with guitar case walks past carved pumpkins on sidewalk in front of a building.
  • Boy walks past a mural of Black icons on a brick building.
  • Joe's Shanghai restaurant entrance with men waiting outside.
  • People walk past a bar with a neon sign.
  • Man wearing headphones crosses a sunny city street under an elevated highway with cars.
  • Homeless man sleeps on sidewalk next to cardboard sign reading "JUST TRYING TO LIVE".
  • Man sits beside advertisements for beauty treatments and cosmetic surgery, next to boxes of produce.
  • Man in green shirt with earbuds looks down at counter in front of storefronts with Chinese signage and ads.
  • Woman with surprised expression in a small storefront, surrounded by stacked papers and drinks.
  • Woman with curly hair crying, covering her face with her hand.
  • Man in orange shirt on a bicycle on a bridge, giving a hand signal. Other cyclists ahead.
  • Person in Michael Jackson shirt walks past two police officers in an outdoor setting.
  • Woman points at fruit while man holds orange bag at outdoor market with Chinese advertisements.
  • Two women look at their phones while walking past a store window displaying a knife.
  • Woman with curly hair shouts in joy at an outdoor market with pumpkins and tents.
  • Two people in Union Square. One on phone, other looking down with hand extended.
  • Woman in blue beanie sits on pole, looking at her phone with a drink on a fire hydrant.
  • Construction worker in hard hat and vest walks past a storefront displaying mannequins in bright clothing.
  • Elderly person sitting with a shopping cart full of items, holding their face.
  • School of Rock musical billboard with "Final Countdown" text above the Winter Garden Theater.
  • Elderly person in a beanie and scarf adjusts jacket strap near an outdoor market stall.
  • Woman in Michael Jackson shirt dances in park. Man on left scrolls on phone.
  • Man with headphones walks an energetic dog in front of a store entrance.
  • Woman in yellow coat and red hat stands with luggage outside a bar called Hill & Dale.
  • Man in baseball cap and blue shirt browses through a bin of records in a store.
  • People and luggage wait on a bench outside a shop with a blue brick wall and lion statue.
  • Woman in black jacket and red scarf examines plants at a market stall.
  • Man in leather jacket points at camera on city street, DSW store in background.
  • Bald man on sidewalk with orange bag interacts with a dog.
  • Man with grocery bag walks down a busy city street next to a bus.
  • Woman with hand on forehead, holding phone, crosses street with others behind her.
  • Person with a beret sits on steps outside a Free People store, looking at their phone.

What could I learn from Street Photography in New York?

Woman poses at the LOVE sculpture, a classic scene for street photography in New York.
Street photography in New York features two figures, one in orange, the other in a dark costume, sitting near a taco mural.
Man cycles past a storefront decorated with dancing skeletons, a quintessential scene for street photography in New York.
Man sitting outside a bar in New York captures the essence of street photography in New York.
Man in Chinatown reflects the art of street photography in New York with red lanterns overhead.
Stylish woman in red coat in New York, captured in classic street photography.

Street photography in New York: people going through their everyday lives will amaze you

  • Modern skyscrapers at dusk with street vendors below.
  • Woman sits looking at phone by Chick-fil-A sign on busy city street at night.
  • Nighttime New York City street scene with Grand Central Terminal and Chrysler Building, people walk past restaurant window.
  • Cyclist passes a brightly lit corner building with blue lights at night, with cars and streetlights.
  • Three men stand on stairs outside brightly lit Indian restaurants in New York City.
  • Man stands by SUVs on city street at night with illuminated buildings and vehicles.
  • Times Square at night with bright digital billboards advertising various brands.
  • Skyscraper with illuminated windows and a spire at night, seen from below through trees.
  • Person walks on sidewalk in front of a crosswalk in a city street.
  • City street with construction crane, office buildings, and a food cart under red and yellow umbrellas.
Street photography in New York captures the Chrysler Building reflected in modern glass, with pedestrians walking on a busy sidewalk.
Street photography in New York captures the iconic Chrysler Building reflected in modern glass buildings with a busy street scene below.

Everything is incredibly much faster here than in all Italian and European cities.

Street photography in New York captures a man with a bowler hat and scarf, amidst a bustling city scene.
Man stands outside a candy store on a brick building, a classic scene of street photography in New York.
A red vintage Mercedes convertible parked in front of a tan house, a classic scene for street photography in New York.
  • Elderly man sits on porch smoking cigar, with American and Italian flags displayed.
  • Stone church with a tall steeple and bell tower, set against a cloudy sky.
  • Elevated train tracks curve through an urban landscape under a cloudy sky, with buildings and a bridge in the background.
  • Large mural of a child's face on a brick building in a city street with a bridge in the background.

One word to describe New York is movement.

  • Man with tattooed legs rides a tall bicycle on a city street.
  • Woman rides a blue Citi Bike past a brick building with a fire escape and graffiti.
  • Man in blue shirt sits on chair. Man in orange hoodie walks past with cigarette.
  • Man in jacket and cap walks past a brick building with a red awning, holding a phone.
  • The Naked Cowboy plays guitar in Times Square, surrounded by people and billboards.
  • Man in puffer jacket stands by a street food cart in a city with taxis passing by.
  • Man wearing a black Gucci shirt poses in front of a graffiti-covered wall.
  • Two friends with vibrant hair and eclectic styles chat in front of a dark, corrugated metal wall.
  • Man with tattoos and piercings stands before a black wall covered in white drawings of band names and logos.
  • NYPD Emergency Service Unit officer stands next to an ambulance, holding a gas cylinder.
  • Man walks past a black wall with chalk art of music genres and band names.
  • Man blurred in motion walks past black door with chalk art of rock genres and band names.
  • People sit on a ledge in front of a building with a large LED sign above that reads "Ohio State draws criticism for".
  • Elderly man in sunglasses and a burgundy jacket smokes a cigarette while leaning against an ATM.
  • Man walks dog past bicycles on sidewalk, wall painted with "Without Music Life Would Be Mistake".
  • Elderly Black woman in blue coat stands with hand on hip next to shopping bags.
  • Man in a light blue tunic and green and white cap stands in front of the Nublu club.
  • Man in scarf and jeans reads newspaper sitting on milk crates outside a store.
  • Elderly person in a beanie and scarf adjusts their coat outside a shop.
  • Food delivery person talks to a man sitting on the sidewalk with a skateboard.
  • Person sleeping on sidewalk under blankets next to a street kiosk with a yellow taxi and van nearby.
  • Person with a blue scarf and dark coat walks past a building with large pink windows.
  • Man with bicycle waits at a New York City intersection.
  • People with disabilities sit on a ledge in Times Square, surrounded by bright billboards.
Street photography in New York capturing a hot dog vendor serving customers with a yellow taxi in the background.
Street photography in New York captures diverse individuals, including a man walking and another sitting behind a black metal fence.
Man leans against orange barrier, yellow taxi in foreground, classic street photography in New York.
Vendor gives thumbs up on a street photography in New York city street, with pretzels and snacks.
  • Striped pipe emits steam against modern glass-windowed building.
  • Man in winter coat sits on sidewalk in front of a deli window featuring Boar's Head products.
  • Man offers water bottle to another man seated outdoors; Times Square billboards in background.
  • Man walks past person sleeping on cardboard next to yellow pole and nail salon sign.
  • Young boy walks past vibrant mural featuring portraits of influential Black women on a brick building.
  • Man wearing a black Gucci shirt and a yellow bandana stands in front of graffiti-covered wall.
  • Person in a dark vest and cap sits on a subway bench at 86th Street station, bag on the floor.
  • Two men talking outside a Dean & DeLuca store. One holds a vintage camera.
  • People walk on a city street, some carrying shopping bags. A food cart is visible in the background.
  • Man with long beard wearing a beanie with "PD" and a "Police Department" t-shirt, sits against brick wall.

shades of grey

  • People walk on a sidewalk with pigeons on the ground and one flying.
  • Man with backpack walks past a closed roll-up door and a dark tiled wall.
  • A diverse group of people ride a subway car, with a man in the foreground wearing a flat cap and leather jacket.
  • Man lifts woman in dance pose on rocky outcrop with New York City skyline behind.
  • Two men sit on a stone bench in front of a decorative wall.

Photography in these situations can tell much more about a city, than a thousand words and descriptions.

Couple kissing on a crosswalk, a classic scene for street photography in New York with yellow cabs and skyscrapers.

Although the speed and the crowd of New York and the common problems of the big cities, people are friendly and don’t mind posing in front of the camera.

  • Man lifts woman in dance pose, with a New York City skyline in the background.
  • Two dancers perform a ballet pose on a rock in Central Park with New York City skyscrapers behind them.
  • Dancers perform a split in Central Park with New York City skyscrapers in the background.
  • Dancers perform a lift with NYC skyline and construction cranes in background.

They are ready to talk about their history and life experience.

  • Man with beard in a hooded jacket speaks to a younger man holding a drink and shopping bag.
  • Two women walk past a large pink and red striped window display.
  • Open-air market with tents, produce stands, and people shopping in front of brick buildings.
  • American flag flies among buildings in New York City under a partly cloudy sky.
  • Times Square street scene with "TWD" billboard, pedestrians, and street vendors.
  • New York City street scene with the Chrysler Building in the background, and traffic and pedestrians.
  • Chrysler Building spire towers over Grand Central Terminal exterior sculptures in bright sun.
  • New York City street with a stepped building, reflecting clouds and other skyscrapers in a modern glass facade.
  • Niagara Falls cascades under a cloudy sky, with a city skyline visible beyond.
  • Niagara Falls in autumn with a bridge and city skyline in the background.

Thus, Street Photography in New York was for me also a rare chance to get to know new and very interesting people.

  • A New York City street lined with glass skyscrapers, cars, and pedestrians.
  • Shubert Theatre marquee advertises "To Kill a Mockingbird" on a cloudy day.
  • Pink bust with necklace in a storefront window display, with a hand presenting a necklace in another display.
  • Pedestrians cross a busy street, some pushing strollers, under scaffolding and signs.

The result was I came in touch with people from all around the world, who have done incredible things and who have shared with me memories, expectations, and even stories of borderline phases of their lives.

  • Vendor hands a corn cob to a customer at an outdoor food stall.
  • Man with yellow bag walks out of a store into a street with construction.
  • Man wearing scarf and jacket on phone in front of busy NYC street stall selling watches, bags and hats.
  • Man with white hair points and gestures in a cluttered shoe repair shop.
  • Two people stand by a fruit stand under a burgundy awning with the number 203.
  • Man in yellow jacket chains bicycle on sidewalk under elevated train tracks, near a Subway and grocery store.
  • Empire State Building framed by brick buildings and skyscrapers on a New York City street.
  • Empire State Building looms over busy Herald Square with Old Navy store.
  • Gothic cathedral spires and modern skyscrapers in a New York City streetscape.
  • Elevated train tracks run over a street lined with trees and modern buildings.
  • New York City skyline with skyscrapers under construction over railway tracks.
  • New York City street with billboards, cars, and a blurred pedestrian in the foreground.
  • Rows of silver passenger trains sit in a rail yard with a city skyline and cloudy sky in the background.
  • Boy in red jacket walks by a fountain in front of illuminated city skyscrapers.
  • Skyscrapers under construction with cranes visible, viewed from below against a blue sky.
  • People walk on a raised park pathway overlooking train tracks and a city skyline under a cloudy sky.
  • Modern skyscrapers under construction and completed, framed by trees against a blue sky.
  • Yellow City Wide sanitation truck parked on an urban street with skyscrapers behind.
  • Man in tan coat watches a New York City fire truck with flashing lights on a street.
  • Man with dreadlocks pushes stacked boxes on a sidewalk in front of a graffiti-covered brick wall.
  • Person in red hat smokes a cigarette on a city street, with blurred figures and a bus in background.
  • Man with delivery bag talking to a homeless man with a skateboard on sidewalk.
  • Three people on sidewalk by brick building. One standing, one sitting, one crouched.
  • Elderly man in a red coat and baseball cap reads a pamphlet next to a reflective window showing city street scene.
  • Elderly Asian woman in winter coat and beanie stands at a market stall with fresh produce and signs in Chinese.
  • Vendor in green jacket weighs vegetables at an outdoor market stall with produce and signage.
  • Person with shopping cart sorts cans into a trash bin on a street, with cars in the background.
  • A man at a hot dog cart serves drinks while a woman rides past on a bicycle.
  • Man in baseball cap reads newspaper in front of storefront with lottery signs and ATM.
  • Person in hooded jacket reads newspaper outside storefront with reflections.
  • Elderly vendor in a blue hoodie and orange puffer jacket hands money to a customer at a fruit stand.
  • Man wearing a green scarf sits reading a newspaper outside a store, surrounded by milk crates.
  • Man stands on sidewalk in front of closed "Little Chinatown" shops, with scarves displayed on racks to the right.
  • Person in a fur-lined hat rides a scooter on a sun-drenched city sidewalk with dramatic shadows.
  • Man wearing a "KUSH" hat holds multiple pigeons on his arms and chest.
  • Man in a top hat and leather coat holds a stack of papers while walking on a city street.
  • Man wearing a cap and brown jacket dances in front of a building with a sign.
  • Man in hoodie texts on phone against brick wall mural of blue lightning and #WANDSWISH.
  • Man wearing a jacket and baseball cap walks past parked cars, partially obscured by a metal gate.
  • Man wearing a cap and jacket drinks from a red can under scaffolding on a city street.
  • Delivery person on a bicycle wearing a helmet and earbuds, carrying two boxes with orange floral patterns.
  • Elderly woman in black coat and brown headband looks down; blurred man walks away in background.
  • Two men in dark blue work shirts stand in front of a brick building with a door and signs.
  • Man walks past a Dunkin' Donuts truck advertising iced coffee and donuts.
  • Breakdancer performs a handstand on a paved plaza while a crowd watches.
  • Man in park feeding sparrows from his hand.
  • Man holds sign that says "SHIT HOLE" in front of Trump Tower.
  • Woman walks by a building with a large mural of a ram's horn and textured lines.
  • Man with rolling suitcase walks past graffiti of masked woman smoking a cigarette.
  • Delivery drivers push a cart of Amazon boxes across a city street.
  • Homeless man sits on sidewalk reading a book next to a sign asking for help.
  • Woman vendor at a market stall surrounded by fresh seafood and produce.
  • Woman in a hooded coat reads a newspaper on a sidewalk with street art and cars.
  • Grim reaper decoration hangs on a parked sanitation truck on a city street, with blurred cars passing by.
  • A man walks past colorful graffiti while a woman pushes a stroller on a city sidewalk.
  • Cleaners window display with vintage graphics, sewing machines, and people working.
  • Man with backpack sits on sidewalk by subway entrance, looking at camera.
  • Elderly woman with walker stands by fire hydrant; person squats near trash can.
  • Man sits at laundromat, looking at a paper. Other patrons are visible in background.
  • Barber trims a customer's hair while another barber holds a towel.
  • Man with cane and headphones stands near "OPTICIANS" sign on brick wall.
  • Men sitting on curb, one looking at phone, beside a store window advertising "No Credit Needed".
  • Man in cap and camouflage pants leans against a wall next to subway entrance.
  • People walk on a sidewalk in front of a brick building. One person pulls a blue cart.
  • Queensboro Bridge spans East River with NYC skyline backdrop.
  • Two women in headscarves sit on a bench surrounded by lush green foliage.
  • Man operates a puppet for two children sitting on a park bench.
  • Industrial plant with red and white striped smokestack, conveyor belts, and a brick wall in the foreground.
  • Old brick Domino Sugar Refinery building with a tall smokestack, a fountain in the foreground.
  • Person photographing amidst industrial silos and a bridge with mist.
  • Two men walk on a misty waterfront promenade with industrial silos and a bridge in the background.
  • Person stands by a large, old brick building with a tall smokestack, surrounded by steam and urban scenery.
  • Queensboro Bridge with New York City skyline in the distance under cloudy skies.
  • Williamsburg Bridge spanning a wide river, with a city skyline in the background under a cloudy sky.
  • Washington Square Park fountain with a carved pumpkin holding "Happy Halloween" signs.
  • Man in dark jacket and tan pants walks through a dimly lit, modern hallway.
  • Man on skateboard rides down Times Square past fire trucks and billboards under a clear sky.
  • Man and woman sit outside "Old Neighbors" Laundry offering free pick up and delivery.
  • Flock of pigeons flying above a New York City street with buildings and traffic.
  • Carved pumpkin with a screaming face holds signs reading "HAPPY?" and "HALLOWEEN #PumpkinHuntNYC".

And this is something very precious I want to share with all of you.

Street photography in New York - emiliano russo