Matt Weber (Street photography), America, Cars & Buses, Color, Men of New York, Urban Landscape

“Der Rote Lastwagon” 2014

*BigDaddys-RED-Truck-der rote lastwagen-2014 copyAmazing how one picture can change everything.
This one almost did just that. I saw a man with a red backpack adjusting his yarmulke, when suddenly “Der Rote Lastwagon” made its fateful left turn. Suddenly the Bechers became seekers and had me over to their house, full of other important Dusseldorfians. Shore swore it was not a bore. Ladd was glad. Bram said Damn! Stuart said screw it, and almost stopped taking pictures. Gilden left the building. Peters said it was sweeter. Turpin started chirping. Blake said it was Jake. Eric became hysteric. Harper said it was sharper. Poor Vivian, almost came back from oblivion. Meyerowitz hired it for Bystander. Even Colberg called to apologize for bashing “street” for so many years…
But then Frank said it stank and it was over.

Matt Weber "New New York", (Street photography), Color, Coney Island, Kids & Teens, Women of New York

Summer of ’14

**Coney-Surf-Teen-Beauty-Happy-2014 copyThis might be my favorite summer snap from 2014. I just read that Arthur Leipzig had died and he spent some time shooting Coney Island before I was born. I have  many books from the photographers who worked New York back in the days of the Photo League, and I hope that some of my work contains a tiny essence of their spirit…

Good quick read on Mr. Leipzig in the Times.

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

“Sex, Drugs & Rock N Roll” 1985

sex-drugs-times-squareIn 1973 I stopped taking photographs for reasons which I will not explain, but in December of 1984  I bought an AE-1 Canon and a 50mm lens and started to photograph New York, most often while I was driving my yellow cab. This image was pushed heavily (Probably 3200) since I figured that was the way to go, and to be honest, I never became very good at developing film. Printing was different, but I guess my fear to develop film by inspection with a green safelight, left me guessing, and more often than not, the results were just passable…