One Night on 57th Street
57th Street runs across the middle of Manhattan from the East River, through the northern end of Midtown, crossing the opulence of 5th Avenue as it continues in an absolute straight line to the north of Hell’s Kitchen and onto the West Side and the Hudson River. I love this street, it slices through many diverse sections of New York City. During the day it is teaming with shoppers, office workers and tourists. At night it is a very different story. By the time the last restaurant has said goodnight to its final customers and the neon signs are extinguished, 57th Street is already populated by a very different clientele. These photographs were taken during the early hours of September 5th 2012.
Citi Bank 57th and Park Avenue
57th, Hell’s Kitchen
57th and Lexington Avenue
57th, Carnegie Hall
57th, Calvary Baptist Church
57th and Second Avenue
I love the description and impact of your photos. The photos I’ve seen up to this post really do show the true contrast of New York City.
I just recently moved to NYC although I’ve been visiting for 8 years.. and it breaks my heart to see so many homeless people and beggars! Your blog really reflects the city – showing the reality of living here – the gap between the struggling ones and the ones who live the most desired lifestyles.
I guess you have to live here and see it at first hand to understand the scale of the problem. Thanks for taking the time to comment.
Makes you wonder what progress in the modern world is all about . . . .
As you can guess, I see some harrowing sights on the streets of NY. The despair and misery is heartbreaking. Funny that I never see reference to it in any tourist guides or holiday brochures. Perhaps the only progression we can make has to be accompanied by a political blindfold and a heavy splash of ignorance. Thank you for taking the time to comment Patti.
A honest point of view..Here, In San Francisco happens the same. A very sad reality. Keep shooting..
Thanks, the rate of the increase in homelessness globally is astonishing, if it was a corporate enterprise, shares in it would go through the roof. Err …. Well, obviously there is no roof. If there were a roof they would not be homeless. I think I may just as well stop there with that.
My dad worked at that Citibank branch. I lived around the corner from 57th and Second. It’s heartbreaking that in a vibrant living city, there ‘s little living to be done for some. Your shots tell an important story. My like is for the quality of your work and not for the homelessness.
I get the ‘like’ stuff. I bet your Dad never thought that his bank windowsill was being used as a ‘bed’ for someone after he had left work, and why would he. It is important and it is relevant to the New York of today. The contrast of the bank building lights as a corporate symbol being his ‘night lights’ astounds me. What Citi Bank is and what he is, on the outside, pushes the breath out of me. Thank your for you comment.
So well said!!!
Powerful and sad but clearly the sign of the new world
Hey Jack, I am not sure that is a world I want to live in. But I agree, it looks like it is coming to some of us.
Reblogged this on Photography Re-Blogger.
Great work, as usual. I love the idea of billboards… sadly it doesn’t seem likely since this is the stuff too many don’t want to see.
If it would put people off their shopping on 5th Avenue I doubt it would be a popular idea.
Such evocative photos, it hardly seems right to click “like,” but of course, I always feel that way about your work.
I understand the ‘like’ thing. I have the same problem with other photographers work sometimes. Thank you for your ongoing support Carissa.
great shots, i like the way you capture this moments. black&white ads a lot to the atmosphere
Thanks. In all honesty I would prefer to show then in colour as I think it adds to the ‘now’ factor. Also, I tend to shoot in such low light that reducing them to black and white turns the noise down and allows the contrasts to come through.
Moving images. Have you considered offering them to a homelessness charity? I like how you document without intruding.
Thanks, I try be be as invisible as I can. Thanks for the comment.
Hi – residues of the day? Wonder what it looks like in the light of dawn.
Much the same only the people are generally more vertical. The police tend to move them on early so that the tourists don’t get a shock.
I just returned from NYC and have a few shots like these. So sad.
I agree, very sad.
Your photographs are heartbreaking – they should be made into billboards.
Interesting idea. Thanks Richard.
The contrast is quite literally black and white (no pun intended) we all go around our own streets during the day not thinking about what happens in those streets once the myriad of “day people” have gone home to their families. It’s great to see you documenting life that most people do not see.
It is a little like living in two different cities where the only similarity is the architecture. Very odd but fascinating. Thanks for the comment.
quite the contrast indeed!
Indeed it is!
So sad that people have to sleep like that
More and more every day, sadly.