Uncut Gems|47th Street Continued

The continuation of my work shooting on 47th Street goes unabated. “The developers circle like vultures, hungry to turn this untamed block into another sanitized American mall. But for now, it remains an oasis, a place that still hums with the unruly soul of the city.” Jeremiah Moss

47 is a both a parallel universe and an open book.

In my heart I am a street photographer. As I peruse sidewalks, hunting for pictures, I am invited into places and occasionally I say yes. I only do this when I feel a personal safety burden has been met. You learn to size people up, a skill I’ve gotten very good at.

The public nature of the street makes it seem like it’d be easy to photograph, which is part of the allure for me. The accessibility of it is plainly seen. It’s all out there. The inventory almost spills in front of your feet as you walk. Trays in these shops are heaped with so many jewels they almost resemble Legos that have been hit with a Bedazzler. It is a hard scrabble street with a lot of stories. Workshops use fire, ice, salt baths and opaque purple liquids that do god only knows what. Harry Potter but make it hood.