Humans of New York

Sr. Hilda pointed me toward another excellent example of photo essay. This one is interesting because it is ongoing, a project that developed from a jobless young adult deciding to move to the Big Apple in 2010 to conduct a “photographic census” of 10,000 New Yorkers. What resulted is a blog with two million followers, a New York Times bestselling book, and an intriguing story about a hub of describing the human experience through images, quotations, and narratives.

I listened to the interview with blog founder Brandon Stanton on CBC. The development of the blog is surprising. Stanton isn’t trained as a photographer. He only purchased a camera in 2010. He didn’t intend initially to photograph people at first. He didn’t have an initial focus. He wasn’t sure how to approach people and ask them if he could take their photos. All these elements provided the experiences that narrowed the focus of his project and helped it become more intriguing and possible to cover.

When I take blurry photographs or wonder if I have the right questions in an interview, I can take solace in learning on the job. If someone like Stanton can go from obscure young adult to successful entrepreneur, what’s to prevent me from putting together a fine photo essay?

Sources: Stanton, Brandon. Humans of New York. Brandon Stanton, 2010-2013. Web. 27 Oct. 2013. < http://www.humansofnewyork.com>.

Ghomeshi, Jian. “‘Humans of New York’ blog-turned-book will seize your heart.” Q. Canadian Broadcasting Channel. Radio-Canada. 25 Oct. 2013. Radio.