Matt Weber 9/11 Related, homeless, Times Square, Uncategorized

September 15th 2001

I don’t know if this picture works, but I was trying to say that, even though the world had been changed in many ways, life for the homeless guy with the flag and his sleeping comrade would continue as if nothing happened. As it turned out, people in general were a lot more caring after 9/11 for awhile, and then all of sudden it was back to normal. The greedy went back to making money big time, and then the bubble burst and the greedy fuckers came with their hands outstretched looking for bailouts, which of course they received.

For a New York minute, it had seemed that things might actually get better after 9/11…Everyone felt bad for us and then, lo and behold, the worst president in history decided to use the massacre to his advantage…

All Photos © Matt Weber

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

NYC 2007

Suddenly I’m at a loss for words. I wish I could explain why this photo appeals to me, but sometimes I just don’t know what to write. Saying that it’s old, doesn’t quite cut it. I guess you have to trust me that there’s something indescribable about this plain Jane fixture worth documenting, despite my inability to articulate it…

All Photos © Matt Weber

Matt Weber (Street photography), homeless, Kids & Teens, Subway

Jessica 2006

Jessica lived across the street from me, if you consider sleeping in a cardboard box, living. She was a teenage crack addict and the stainless steel of the the subway was probably the closest thing to a mirror she had. The last time I saw her she was being arrested on Broadway and it seemed that she had been caught shoplifting. Hopefully she has found some help and made a comeback, but she was in a really bad way…

All Photos © Matt Weber

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

West Park Church 2009

God bless the developers. They have purchased the right to develop this church. Fortunately they have installed brand new bars to prevent this horrible spectacle from ever being seen again. Maybe they will build a new community center because that’s basically what the church was before laying dormant for the past five years. The developers were of course hoping to raze the church and replace it with a “beautiful” glass tower with a separate entrance for the section 8 eyesores, who would occupy the lower floors. I’m not religious but this church did a lot more than preach the gospel. When it seemed that AIDS was spreading like the plague, this church was busy making sure that those too sick to leave their apartments were still fed. My daughter played in the Pre-K programs they offered. The church is actually the largest brownstone in Manhattan, and maybe New York. Built in 1890 it is crumbling and needs attention (money) to preserve its details. Maybe I’m being too optimistic, but I think an angel of the human variety will save it at the last moment…

All Photos © Matt Weber

Matt Weber (Street photography), Old New York, Urban Wildlife

Central Park Zoo 1967

This might be the first photograph I ever took. There were none taken in ’66…I like that this image has a dark foreboding vibe to it. I also like that this was Winogrand’s world that I may have taken my first picture in! I came here often with my grandma, and I’m sure that on one of those sunny days, Garry was clicking away while I shoved peanuts down this poor guy’s trunk…

All Photos © Matt Weber

Matt Weber Uncategorized

“1977 World Series Game Six”

Yes the night Reggie Jackson hit three home runs to end the 1977 world series, I was sitting in the upper deck with my dad. I think David McCall “Snat” was also there. I still remember the third home run just disappearing into the dark night, well actually the black bleachers…$10 not a bad deal…

All Photos © Matt Weber