Photographing NYC for 25 years in mostly black & white and for six of those years I was driving a New York City taxicab. I never stage photos, so what you see here actually happened.
Urban Photos was my website for the past ten years and it was badly designed. Hopefully the various categories will make surfing this site easy and pleasurable.
I am also a close confidant of the “immortal” Dave Beckerman, owner of the first photography blog in the known universe. (who suggested that I build this site and donated many hours)
My book the Urban Prisoner is still in print and if you want to purchase a copy please contact Sanctuary Books
you are the man!
Comment by Dave — February 7, 2010 @ 3:23 am
Yes, as far as anyone can determine, I am the first one with a photo blog in the known universe. There was one other guy – named James – wish I could remember his last name. He died a few years ago, but I think his site is still live.
Comment by Dave — February 9, 2010 @ 7:40 pm
Well, I, for one, am glad to be able to see more of your work, Matt.
Comment by Chris Klug — February 13, 2010 @ 10:16 pm
Thanks Chris, I hope to avoid throwing up too many second rate images like we all do on Flickr.
Only time will tell, but I can always pare down this archive later if necessary…
Comment by urbanphotos — February 14, 2010 @ 10:57 am
It made me really happy to look at the pictures that you’ve added to this website.
Your pictures are a joy to look at. Even when they are difficult to look at.
Comment by dario — February 21, 2010 @ 1:07 am
It makes me real happy to have you feel that way!
Comment by urbanphotos — February 21, 2010 @ 7:56 am
hey man, love everything. thanks for taking the for all this shit. i found a similartiy between a photo you took and one i took. check it out if you have the time
Comment by Raphael — March 10, 2010 @ 4:46 am
your photos are great! they made me realize that i love street photography and should do more of it. thanks! all the best…
Comment by happysole — March 10, 2010 @ 8:42 am
Happy…I’m happy you feel that way!
Comment by Matt Weber — March 10, 2010 @ 9:45 am
Matt,
I’m a friend of Ron Goldstein, I’m starting a gallery in Woodstock, NY. I was wondering if you would like to exhibit some of your prints at my place.
Please email me or call for more details.
Cheers,
Norm Baugher
917.208.9997
Comment by Norman Baugher — April 9, 2010 @ 1:43 pm
Great site. Very inspiring – especially to a total amateur like me. I have bookmarked you and will be back to visit regularly.
Comment by Ziyaad — April 14, 2010 @ 9:32 pm
Well thank you Ziyaad!
Comment by Matt Weber — April 15, 2010 @ 2:28 am
Hi Matt,
My name is Bwian and I’m a mate of Beckerman’s!
I put a link to your site on my blog! If this is a problem let me know mate!
Cheers! (-;
Comment by Paul Lomax Photography — May 21, 2010 @ 1:49 am
Thanks very much!!!
Comment by Matt Weber — May 21, 2010 @ 2:03 pm
It’s wild to see how NYC has changed so much…I’m bookmarking your site-I love it!
Comment by hatcitynikki — June 2, 2010 @ 3:25 pm
Matt,
Allow me to say that I see some of Levinstein’s influence in some of your work. Most notably “The City Game ’05″, “The Summer Of ’88″ and probably a few others. How was the show?
Comment by dean — July 19, 2010 @ 2:00 pm
A bit sad, when one considers that this huge honor was bestowed upon Leon 22 years after his death. That always bothers me and is one of my pet peeves…
Comment by Matt Weber — July 19, 2010 @ 2:20 pm
Hi Matt,
Wonderful work, really. are you using a Leica camera ?
Best regards,
Comment by Luis Cavaco — September 11, 2010 @ 2:47 pm
Luis, I used a Canon AE-1 for 14 years, and then switched to Leica M6s for the past 11 years…Thanks!
Comment by Matt Weber — September 11, 2010 @ 5:29 pm
i just love all your photos, very real! i’m from the south, texas that is and I’ve been to NYC once and I love the city! I just can’t get how many people are looking directly into your lens but have you ever had the problem of them getting upset for being photographed??? just wondering…great pics again!
Comment by Tanya — December 21, 2010 @ 6:40 pm
Thanks Tanya! Sometimes people are annoyed, but in general things are OK…
Comment by Matt Weber — December 21, 2010 @ 8:47 pm
Hi Matt, seasons greetings. It is with great pleasure that I write to you, as I am a real admirer of your work.
I am Director of the London Street Photography Festival and we are VERY excited to be launching this festival in 2011.
and hopefully help support the great work you have been doing too!
Street Photography has been in the shadows for too long and we are going to help ensure the genre receives more exposure and recognition from now on
I am contacting you about helping us spread the word about the festival, and hope you might be in London in July. It would be great to meet you.
The Festival launches in July but our first offering is our Street Photography Awards the first International Street Photography Award.
I hope you will consider entering the Award and sharing it with your network. If you could add us to your links page on your website or your blog too that would be amazing.
I know it’s odd timing with the end of the year but would this be possible in the new year perhaps?
More info can be found here: http://londonstreetphotographyfestival.org/competitions/street-photography-award/entry-information-open
First prize is a £1,000 cash plus an all expenses paid trip to London to receive the prize at an awards ceremony.
It costs £30 to enter but with that you receive a free Blurb book voucher to the value of £28.95, so really it only costs £1.05
The deadline is 31 March 2011.
Please let me know if this is possible and if you require further info from me.
Comment by Brett Jefferson Stott — December 30, 2010 @ 11:27 am
Hi Brett,
Will Matt’s work be shown at the festival? Sure would like to see that.
Dave
Comment by dave beckerman — December 30, 2010 @ 11:47 am
Hi Dave, as its the first festival in London, our focus in 2011 is “London” although we have launched an International Street Photography Award which is the only way International artists can be exhibited in 2011.
Matt’s definitely got some seriously good work, I’d be surprised if it didn’t feature in years to come
Comment by Brett Jefferson Stott — January 1, 2011 @ 6:20 am
I abhor contests where the artist must pay to enter, but since Street Photography needs all the help it can get, I’ll post a link to your site…
Comment by Matt Weber — December 30, 2010 @ 12:27 pm
Hi Matt, thank you, and I can assure you, we are not for profit company and the fee goes towards the Awards and running the festival only…
Comment by Brett Jefferson Stott — January 1, 2011 @ 5:47 am
Very nice blog, like it a lot,,,
micke
Comment by micke — January 3, 2011 @ 2:19 am
I really love your work.. i’m working on an essay where i’m looking how different lifestyles are used through the medium of photography, looking at you work i would love to use you.
i think your homeless project shows the emotion i need for my research. However i need to know a little bio on you. If you wouldn’t mind could you hit me back with just a few sentences on where and when you were born and what inspired you to get into this field of work.. i’d really appreciate it…
Abi
Comment by Abi Tate — February 4, 2011 @ 7:15 am
Abi, Email me and I’ll send you a short bio. I appreciate your interest very much!
Comment by Matt Weber — February 4, 2011 @ 3:40 pm
Hello,
I came accross http://urbanphotos.com Thank you,
Comment by Rob Anderson — March 12, 2011 @ 2:52 am
Matt, Your work is really impressive and will serve as a great source of inspiration. Keep up the good work!
Comment by Jens Schott — April 25, 2011 @ 1:02 pm
Thanks Jens!
Comment by Matt Weber — April 25, 2011 @ 4:07 pm
Hello,
I came across your website and found it alluring and exciting. I am a big fan of design and beauty. If you could e-mail me back that would be great. I just had a couple questions.
I look forward to hearing back from you soon! Have a great day.
Comment by Megan — May 6, 2011 @ 10:28 am
Dear Matt,
I’m working on a documentary film and I’m interested in using some of your Harlem 1988 photographs. Please email me back so we can discuss. Thank you!
Best,
Sarah Burns
Comment by Sarah Burns — May 16, 2011 @ 1:44 pm
Dear Matt,
your work is straight and shows an intensiv subjective statement about peoples urban life. It inspires me every time i look at your photos. Keep prying and dont’t loose that creative energy.
Comment by Rainer Bernatzki — May 18, 2011 @ 4:32 am
Thanks Rainer!
Comment by Matt Weber — May 18, 2011 @ 7:24 am
nice website. who made it?
thank you!
Comment by do — May 26, 2011 @ 3:59 pm
I was able to create it without much skill on wordpress…They have many different designs and are fairly simple to work with…
Comment by Matt Weber — May 26, 2011 @ 5:15 pm
Hi Matt
I love your work and your story. Its photographers like you that keep the motivation alive in me to head out onto the streets and persevere in my search for special images. I love that your photography is more about telling stories than about angles and gimmicks etc.
I photograph on the streets of Mumbai, India and on the streets of any city/country I travel to. After seeing some cool blogs on street photography I decided to start one of my own a couple of days ago. It can be found at http://kaushalpar.wordpress.com.
Would really appreciate it if you could take a quick look at my blog and email me what you think. The streets of Mumbai are very different from NY and so the images make for interesting viewing.
Hope to hear back from you.
Regards
Kaushal
Comment by Kaushal Parikhaushal — June 26, 2011 @ 1:40 am
Comment by Madison Avenue Florist — July 8, 2011 @ 8:11 pm
You are great !Take care if you decide to shoot the upcoming Hurricane ! /Simon from sweden
Comment by simon jonson — August 27, 2011 @ 2:31 pm
I was lucky that the hurricane missed NYC
Comment by Matt Weber — August 28, 2011 @ 12:33 pm
Hi Matt,
Im a ninth grader from Yonkers High School, in New York. I greatly admire your work and you are one of my inspirational and motivators in my photography and art. So for my art class we had to choose any kind of artist that we greatly admire, and do a big project on him/her. I was wondering if maybe i could ask you a few questions?
Thanks and best regards.
-Valentina
Comment by Valentina Castaño — November 2, 2011 @ 5:39 pm
Hi Valentina, I recently did a very long interview on “Street Reverb” and I will give you a link to it. It gives a reader a great deal of what I feel about my work and photography in general.
http://streetreverbmagazine.com/2011/10/08/matt-weber-im-just-shooting-my-way-through-life/
Comment by Matt Weber — November 2, 2011 @ 11:52 pm
Thanks Matt, I’ve read the interview and i just need a little bit more about you, like a little bio. Do you mind?
Thanks
Valentina
Comment by Valentina Castaño — November 3, 2011 @ 7:31 pm
OK, email me
weber1@nyc.rr.com
Comment by Matt Weber — November 4, 2011 @ 7:18 am
Would you say that your photographs have changed in the direction of art? And thank you so much for that bio.
Comment by Valentina Castaño — November 16, 2011 @ 10:51 pm
Val, I don’t think I ever shoot with the expectation of making “Fine Art”, but often the end result could be considered art, loosely I suppose…Thanks!
Comment by Matt Weber — November 17, 2011 @ 10:33 am