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

Lower East Side 1988

One of the things I liked about shooting in New York twenty years ago was, that the city was full of unrestored buildings. The old details were starting to show abundant wear and tear, but they were still completely authentic. Today, due to the real estate boom of the ’80s & ’90s most everything has been replaced. The new aluminum door from Home Depot or Anderson windows are a good thing as far as saving energy is concerned, but there was something nice about the fact that a hundred year old door had been opened and closed so many times. Old buildings may not have ghosts in them, but that old door may have been held open by a young James Cagney visiting a girl back in 1922 or…

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), Urban Wildlife

“The Feral Foursome” 1991

At one point I had at least fifteen feral alley cats in my backyard. They were mostly interested in my ability to provide food. Momma Cat (on the left) and Uncle (second from the right) were bold enough to set up shop in my apartment. I could never touch them, and they weaved through my pad at high speed late at night. Every time I came home, they would disband immediately and usually flee through the porthole I had cut into my back door. I was only able to domesticate one of them, and he died suddenly one morning. The rest never let me touch them, except when they were asleep. Then they would slowly open their eyes and when they realized, much to their horror, that “The Feeder” was petting them, they would make horrible sounds and acrobatic moves to escape my wanton hands. Their whole world revolved around survival and I guess they figured that the food I put out for them everyday was actually, bait…

All Photos © Matt Weber

Matt Weber (Street photography), Old New York

World Trade Center 1988

Like most New Yorkers that I know, the world trade center did little for me as far as it’s design was concerned. The buildings were awesome to behold due to their scale and they also reflected light on occasion in a magnificent way.

A joke I heard recently went something like this: A young boy is looking at the skyline from Queens and his dad says “The Chrysler bldg. is the most beautiful and the Empire State Bldg. is the the biggest” The kid points to the left and says what about those? (The twin towers) and his dad says “Oh those are just the boxes which the other two came in”

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Matt Weber (Street photography), Color, Coney Island

Coney Island 2010

Nathan’s never closes, which during a blizzard is a good thing. Even if you don’t like hotdogs, their greasy french fries will keep you happy for a few minutes till your stomach realizes what you just ingested. I guess I like extremes, because my best days at Coney are when it’s 100º or during a friggin’ blizzard…

All Photos © Matt Weber

Matt Weber (Street photography), Urban Wildlife

“Belle” 2005

Belle never cared for me much. She loved my mom. She was the one family cat that just didn’t want anything to do with me. This bothered me to no end. Even when I was the designated feeder, she would let her brother eat her food, rather than come into the kitchen and give me a sign of appreciation. Oh well, you can’t win them all…

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

Times Square Region 1989

Many years after I took this picture, a guy I know told me that the gal in the poster is one “Heather Hunter” a pornstar of high repute. Googled her and found out that she retired to try and become a rapper…This picture was one that I always thought did a good job of showing everybody rushing to get home and totally ignoring the poor fellow with the broken leg. I don’t know what it’s like to have to catch the 3:10 to Yuma or anything about living in the burbs, but escaping New York seems understandable, even more so back in the ’80s when New York was at it’s seediest. Of course I’m trying to place myself in the mindset of someone living in Somerville.

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