Dear New York

Dear New York is a 60 page, 8X10, softcover photo book created in June of 2018. It documents my recent travel & exploration of New York using B&W 35mm film.

Edition of 50, signed & numbered by artist.

TO SEE EACH IMAGE WITHIN THE BOOK, FOLLOW THIS LINK: http://www.justicecolwell.com/#/dear-new-york/

This trip was one I have anticipated for many years and had many expectations for. The truth is, you’re unable to have expectations for a city like New York as it unfolds everyday in such an unpredictable manner. It is impossible to accurately capture and describe the city visually, textually or orally. The romanticization of New York City has existed for more than a century, our means of media have helped this gain momentum. We are saturated by images and seldom take the time to observe everyday life. Street photography allows the viewer to see selective moments of the everyday through another individual’s perspective.

Every street photographer that I truly admire has shot primarily in New York City using black & white film, more often than not, also shooting with a Leica M series camera. The expectations I had for New York City grew from these moments of the past that had been captured by like-minded individuals.

The following photographs are a result of my attempt to visually translate my experience in New York City from June 3rd, 2018 to June 8th, 2018. I’ve chosen to only include B&W photographs for this book as I feel they are most strongly representative of the histories associated with NYC street photography. The following images were shot using Ilford HP5 35mm black and white film on my Leica M6 TTL. The film was brought back to Canada, hand-developed and digitized by me in my makeshift darkroom.

- Justice Colwell