Matt Weber (Street photography), Color, Men of New York

“Black Jew” 2010

Considering how hard it must be for him sometimes, you’d think the white guys at B& H would treat him like a celebrity. He seemed to be getting the cold shoulder while I was there. I don’t like any fundamental religions, but I guess there’s a good reason for everything they do…The black Jews at Times Square are a different story. They are very old testament, fire breathing, hell promoting, and angry at all white people. They are generally a pain in the butt to try and have a simple conversation with…

All Photos © Matt Weber

Matt Weber (Street photography), Color, Times Square

“Helping Hands” Times SQ. 2009

The truth is that every time an old lady or anybody falls down in New York, instantly, several people are there on the spot trying to help out. I’ve seen it at least a dozen times and I never can be of assistance, because the old lady would have to fall in my lap to give me first crack at her. What I hate is when people from other places insult New Yorkers, without realizing how good we really are, when push comes to shove…

All Photos © Matt Weber

Matt Weber (Street photography), Kids & Teens, Old New York

“The City Game” 2005

If you’ve grown up in a city in the northeast, you remember what it’s like. Playing with someone else’s ball that’s worn so bad, strings are coming out of it. It’s cold out and you’re wearing a t-shirt and then someone lets a pass slip through their fingers. Now you have to wipe the yellow dog piss snow, or something a lot worse off the ball and you look for some newspaper. Fingers numb, starving, throat dry from no water fountains, you keep playing till all you have are those old greenish streetlights, barely making it possible, for you to know if you’ve hit your last jump shot…

All Photos © Matt Weber

Matt Weber "New New York", (Street photography), Coney Island, Women of New York

Coney Island 2010

I went to the Mermaid parade last week, and of course as long as I don’t shoot the parade, I have a chance to get what I’m looking for. Of course, I have no idea what that may be. This picture made me happy because it falls into that category of things I’ve never seen before, and know I’ll never see again…A bunch of kids playing under a beach umbrella, flanked by twin sentinels in profile, ready to pop…Now that’s what I’m talking about!

All Photos © Matt Weber

Matt Weber (Street photography), homeless, Men of New York, Old New York

“The Summer of ’88”

I have a pal who swears this summer will be brutally hot. Of course he’s not a meteorologist but if he’s right, nobody suffers a heatwave more than the homeless (and the elderly) Back in the old days, hydrants were open all over the city and at least if you had a bar of soap you could stay somewhat clean. The kids were happy too. These days the sprinklers are on, but they pale compared to the hydrant’s at full blast. I’m not for wasting water, but I’ve noticed that in some parks, the water fountains are becoming scarce. Not everyone can drop a two spot on a bottle of Poland Spring…

All Photos © Matt Weber