Matt Weber (Street photography), Old New York, signs, The Urban Prisoner, Times Square

The Unknown Soldier “Marine” 1989

A friend who knows a lot more about photography as an art than I do, once told me “This is the image that you’ll be remembered for” Like anyone else who’s not dead or in a wheelchair, I’d like to think that I may still have something else up my sleeve. I’m not saying that having a signature image is without any value. It could be nice to win a Pulitzer and be famous for a week, but there have been those photographers known for that one killer shot, and then many others known for their brilliant careers…Which one would you like to be?

All Photos © Matt Weber

Matt Weber (Street photography), homeless, Kiss Kiss, The Urban Prisoner, Urban Landscape

Broadway Nap 1989

Sometimes it’s amazing that I can remember such details from so long ago, but I remember discussing this image with a stranger on 113th Street when I took this picture. I had to convince him that it was OK and finally he realized that the couple was probably in love and then it passed his smell test. I have had so many discussions about whether or not it’s OK to photograph homeless people, and it’s one of those things that varies from person to person. Some, insist that if you don’t volunteer to work at a soup kitchen then it’s unconscionable. Me, I have definitely pondered it quite a bit, but I eventually figured that if my life’s calling is to photograph New York City, then I can’t ignore the least fortunate, nor should I make them the primary focus…They do exist and I sometimes I take their picture…

Matt Weber (Street photography), homeless, Portraits, The Urban Prisoner

Chuck/Lisa R.I.P. Christmas 1998

Chuck also was known as Lisa. He wished he was a she. I remember watching him shoot some dope in my local subway station once as I waited for the train. Despite the fact that I was shooting for a subway book, due to personal reasons I couldn’t take the shot of  Chuck and his needle. I have no problem taking pictures of junkies nodding, because I’ll show a collection to my kid one day in the hope that it might be a deterrent of sorts. Maybe it’s like the war photographer who can shoot piles of dead bodies, but when faced with a chance to record a firing squad at work, is unable to steady the camera…Maybe not.