Back to the streets

Photographer Jeff Rothstein out and about on the streets of New York:

Returning to street photography after some experiments in urban abstracts and still lifes, Rothstein has noticed how the city's pace has resumed post-pandemic – and how people seem happier than before.

"Despite people working from home some days a week, New York's midtown area is still pretty crowded with workers and tourists on weekdays," he adds. "The Soho area, where I like to shoot on weekends, is chock full of people. A few years ago, people on the streets seemed stressed, angry and distrustful. Now, it feels like they are ready to enjoy themselves again."…

"NYC, back in the day, was a lot grittier and scarier, though that's what made it great for street photography," he says. "Despite recent uptick in some crimes, it's still light years safer than in the '70s to '90s. As far as shooting, the backdrop is a bit more bland, with many pharmacies, banks and nail salons dominating the urban landscape. And don't even get me started about the Disneyfication of places like Times Square. But New York is still probably the best city for street photography, and I'm fortunate to have photographed here for so many decades."

Photos from his website: