New York photographer Matt Weber has been pursuing his fascination with the Big Apple for more than three decades. For six years he worked as a taxi cab driver and witnessed the city from a unique perspective. Eventually, he stepped out of his cab and ventured into the streets to pursue his true passion for documenting his experiences through his camera lens
The Urban Prisoner is an extensive black and white series that captures a true side of everyday life in New York. Throughout his career, Weber used a classic approach to street photography in order to convey a sense of raw emotion. He never intervened with his subjects and, as a result, he was able to capture real moments within urban settings. In contrast to his series, Urban Romance, The Urban Prisoner focuses on a wide range of emotions—love, violence, energy, monotony, and stillness—that can be found throughout the city on an ordinary day in New York in the 1980’s, 1990’s, and 2000’s.
“You really are looking for those special images. They come when they come. You can’t force them,” Weber said. “It’s a matter of luck, timing, and good fortune. When I leave my door, I don’t know what I’m going to get. The thing with street photography is you often get something better than you imagined.” Learn a little more about Weber in the video below.
