Matt Weber (Street photography), signs, Women of New York

“This Bud’s For You” 1990

I keep putting off the posting of many of the pictures I took on September 11th…Maybe I’m trying to delay explaining in detail, what happened to my daughter. I know that the images will make most people sad, but since I started to post some from the days after the 11th, shouldn’t I just keep going? I also have to contain myself from going on and on about how much I despise organized religion. The psychos on the planes that day, propelled the religious right in America to make one terrible decision after another. Since what I have to say matters very little, I’ll just try and keep it to myself…

All Photos © Matt Weber

Matt Weber (Street photography), Old New York, signs

“Horn & Hardarts” 1987

Most people my age can remember going to one of these automats with their parents or grandparents. The pies were famous for being edible, where as their sandwiches sucked. There were revolving tables inside the machines which were a lot of fun for a kid to operate. Back in the 1920’s when H & H restaurants were popping up all over the city, many of the treats were probably just 5¢…

I always have to stop from waxing poetic about the good old days, for fear of sounding like Glen Beck (The schmuck on CNN)

All Photos © Matt Weber

Matt Weber (Street photography), Harlem, Old New York, signs

Harlem 1985

Thirty years ago I decided to try and liberate every single Coke button and other vintage advertising sign in the tri-state area…I almost succeeded and all these years later I still don’t know why I spent so many late nights probing for these artifacts, while many of my friends were having the time of their lives at the night clubs downtown.

I like this view of a rundown neighborhood where almost everybody knows everyone on their block and the next few over…

All Photos © Matt Weber

Matt Weber (Street photography), signs, Women of New York

NYC 2005

I don’t remember if I liked this movie very much. The habit or practice of photographers placing people next to posters, goes back a very long time. Brassai & HCB both did it in the 1930s and others have been doing it ever since. Bourke White’s view of poor black people lined up under the giant billboard proclaiming how great America was for happy white people, is probably the best example of it working in a way that isn’t just funny. Street photography offers these juxtapositions on occasion and it is very hard to pass on them…I suppose I should work on suppressing the urge when it overcomes me…then again, maybe not.

All Photos © Matt Weber