During my first week of graduate school at Maine College of Art I turned to my professor and politely asked, "What are we working on today?". She responded, "I don't know... what are you working on?". Her response dumbfounded me and a thought ran through my head, "Welcome to graduate school". In the undergraduate "world", your instructor will give you a list of instructions to follow although after graduation, you're left up to your own devices; creating your own projects. As a freelance photographer, you will also have to come up with your own ideas.
Brandon Stanton was faced with a similar scenario and he created a project for himself known as "Humans of New York". As quoted on Stanton's website, "In the summer of 2010, photographer Brandon Stanton set out on an ambition project: to single-handedly create a photographic census of New York City. Armed with his camera, he began crisscrossing the city, covering thoughs of miles on foot, all in an attempt to capture New Yorkers and their stories. The result of these efforts was a vibrant blog he called "Humans of New York", in which his photos were featured alongside quotes and anecdotes.
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| Stanton, Brandon, from Humans of New York, 2013. |
When you visit Stanton's website, you're immediately greeted with different portraits taken of those humans who inhabit New York City. For each photograph, there is a story and a bit of insight into the individuals life. Some of the stories that Stanton covers are cheerful and happy, very "light" in terms of mood. Other stories that Stanton shares with his viewers depict times of struggle and heartbreak. What is interesting about Stanton's photographs and his project in general is that it reaches out to all aspects of life.
This "Website Wednesday" post is the first post of a series centered around "Humans of New York". This Friday, we'll be taking a closer look at the man behind the camera and next Monday, we'll hear his suggestions on how to approach subjects while out on the street in public. Stay tuned!
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Stanton, Brandon. "Humans of New York." Humans of New York. N.p., n.d. Web. 30 Apr. 2014.