It could be argued that it’s difficult to take a bad photograph in New York City. It’s a statement that we disagree with, but with such a vast photographic history of the city, it’s certainly difficult to stand out.

Walking down the street in the heart of New York City is an experience that can’t be duplicated anywhere else in the USA, perhaps even in the world. Those who have visited will know that there’s a natural merger into the impromptu flow of NYC life which is carried along by the ongoing current of migratory souls. In this book, Harvey Stein documents the iconic areas of Midtown and Downtown Manhattan in 172 beautiful black-and-white photographs taken over 41 years, from 1974 through to 2014.

The photographs are both intimate and personal. They document the close encounter between the photographer and his subjects while showing the mutuality between people. These black-and-white images enhance the sense of the past and heighten the feeling of movement, anxiety, blur, grain, skewed perspectives, tight cropping and wide-angle views. They quite simply take you firmly into the experience and feel of walking the streets of New York City.

Briefly Seen – New York Street Life by Harvey Stein Published by Schiffer Publishing/Schiffer Books Size: 12″ x 9″ hard back cover Including: 184 pp with 172 b/w photos ISBN13: 9780764349799