Brooklynite’s ‘Humans of New York’ photos compiled in new book
Brooklyn BookBeat: Photographer/Author of Photographic Census to Speak in DUMBO
Brooklyn photographer Brandon Stanton is not afraid to take risks. While many artists might be characterized similarly, it was Stanton’s adventurous streak that led him to become an artist in the first place. After losing his job as a bond trader, Stanton – who bought his first camera in January 2010 – decided to move to New York to photograph people on the street.
Despite his lack of formal training and his parents’ disappointment in his decision, Stanton had an objective; in the summer of 2010 he embarked on an ambitious project to create a photographic census of New York City. He purchased his camera with money he won on a football bet and began walking the city streets in search of inspiring images of New Yorkers. He compiled his portraits on a remarkable blog titled “Humans of New York,” juxtaposing quotes and anecdotes to contextualize the images.