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I Photographed The Loneliness In New York, And Here Are My Best 18 Photos
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Loneliness is New York’s leitmotif. This feeling is palpable everywhere in New York City—a place filled with 8 million people, many of whom are immigrants and transplants. There are different shades of it: the loneliness of an Uber driver who fled Venezuela, leaving his family behind, who sighs with relief when I quickly switch to Spanish; the loneliness that emanates from the people I talk to on dating apps; the loneliness of the middle-aged Ukrainian woman at my local supermarket, who tells me in Russian that I remind her of her son, who she left behind in a war-torn country and who she hasn’t seen in two years.
Finally, the loneliness of someone who doesn’t believe in a god, someone who is slowly starting to come to terms with the fundamental randomness and uncertainty in our world. All of these real people exist on the margins of the fast-paced world that is New York.
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I moved to New York from Europe in 2014 after having been on the road for over a decade—I’d lived in six different countries, changing location every year. I came to New York in order to pursue a photography career. During a three-month-long visit to the city a few years ago, a street photography series was born that I felt I wanted to finish.
People from all walks of life share the streets of Manhattan—this bizarre Tower of Babel is a true feast for photography art. And yet, it’s a constant struggle: one day, the city fascinates me. The next, I’ve had enough.
This picture gave me a calming feeling though - like he's just savoring the silence and stillness.
There are so many crowds in New York, and there are also so many lonely people. This is not only because there are many of us here who are newcomers without family or friends nearby; the technology that has slowly taken over our lives, separating us from one another, also plays a part.
That's just a persistent guy, or one that doesn't want to lose to his friends :)
Ironically, despite New York’s density, it is not hard to feel alone. So many people here are focused on money or their careers. It often feels like no one has any energy left for emotional conversation, for relationships. Although it isn’t difficult to find company, many of the interactions we have with each other are empty and meaningless. It’s easy to be lonely and anonymous in a city like this. It’s easy to get lost.
This is the only one that looks lonely to me. Being alone doesn't make one lonely. Loneliness can be experienced in a room full of people...even people you know. Personally, I enjoy quiet, contemplative time to myself.
This one isn't lonely for me - I just think that she's rushing home to make dinner :D
How could you possibly know if these people are "lonely?" Being alone in any given moment doesn't mean a person is lonely. Many people - most people probably - enjoy a little solitude each and every day and they're anything but "lonely."
I'm with you. They're reasonably good photos, but "lonely"? A guy walking in the snow....to a party? A woman praying by the ocean....before going home to make dinner for her large extended family? /// I've never thought it was entirely ethical to take surreptitious photos of strangers. I'd find it intrusive if I found out I was the subject of someone sneaking around with a camera.
I thought the voyeuristic quality was a bit jarring and off-putting.
I concur... there is no way of knowing if a person is lonely just by a snapshot. Perhaps the proper term here should just be "solitary".
These photos don't show lonely people, they are a depiction of loneliness itself. It's not about whether the "models" are lonely or not, it's about the whole imagery. This is art, not documentation. Had these pictures been drawings, rather than photos, would you still say the same? Some people just express their visions better through the medium of light.
Eheheh I expected the downvotes. ♥ They only prove my point.
Lots of idiots who don't get the BP downvote button AND there is also a base of BP users who are militant hive minded conformists who practice the "agree with my popular notion of cool in art, culture, and politics" or else behavior of down voting anything that's intellectual
You're right, it's not just these people, it's the atmosphere the photos give you. Really enjoyed this thread.
Yes exactly what I was thinking!
I was thinking the same thing. Like maybe some of them were taking time away for a bit to recharge their battery. I try to do this whenever I can. Being a caregiver for my mom, I don't get much alone time. I hope most of these people have loved ones.
There's a difference between being alone and loneliness. Besides, are you really alone if you have someone stalking you with a camera? :)
For all you know these people could be on their way to a great party, or have just left one. Loneliness is a mental state, I think you meant solitude.
How could you possibly know if these people are "lonely?" Being alone in any given moment doesn't mean a person is lonely. Many people - most people probably - enjoy a little solitude each and every day and they're anything but "lonely."
I'm with you. They're reasonably good photos, but "lonely"? A guy walking in the snow....to a party? A woman praying by the ocean....before going home to make dinner for her large extended family? /// I've never thought it was entirely ethical to take surreptitious photos of strangers. I'd find it intrusive if I found out I was the subject of someone sneaking around with a camera.
I thought the voyeuristic quality was a bit jarring and off-putting.
I concur... there is no way of knowing if a person is lonely just by a snapshot. Perhaps the proper term here should just be "solitary".
These photos don't show lonely people, they are a depiction of loneliness itself. It's not about whether the "models" are lonely or not, it's about the whole imagery. This is art, not documentation. Had these pictures been drawings, rather than photos, would you still say the same? Some people just express their visions better through the medium of light.
Eheheh I expected the downvotes. ♥ They only prove my point.
Lots of idiots who don't get the BP downvote button AND there is also a base of BP users who are militant hive minded conformists who practice the "agree with my popular notion of cool in art, culture, and politics" or else behavior of down voting anything that's intellectual
You're right, it's not just these people, it's the atmosphere the photos give you. Really enjoyed this thread.
Yes exactly what I was thinking!
I was thinking the same thing. Like maybe some of them were taking time away for a bit to recharge their battery. I try to do this whenever I can. Being a caregiver for my mom, I don't get much alone time. I hope most of these people have loved ones.
There's a difference between being alone and loneliness. Besides, are you really alone if you have someone stalking you with a camera? :)
For all you know these people could be on their way to a great party, or have just left one. Loneliness is a mental state, I think you meant solitude.