I have literally spent hours today looking at the photographs on the tumblr Humans of New York / HONY. How did I not know about this blog before? It’s not just that the photos are gorgeous and wonderful, because they are. It’s also the photographer himself, Brandon, and what he brings to / gets out of the people he photographs, both visually and in his brief narratives. THIS is the post that hooked me.

Here’s some other examples of his work:

“Can we do a close-up shot?”
“I don’t know about that. Thirty years ago, maybe.” (x)

Seven words I love to hear: “Hold on, let me get my parrot.” (x)

This creature tried to sneak by me when I was photographing the marathon. Nice try creature. (x)

Susie The Dog—holding the whole neighborhood together.  (x)

I told him I wanted to take his photograph because he looked like a composer. In reality, it’s because I saw him slip a homeless man a $20 bill five minutes earlier. (x)

Unfortunately, a truce was called as soon as I walked up. So despite it’s realism, this is merely a reenactment of the vicious battle. (x)

There’s a Banksy-style mural in a vacant lot surrounded by a huge chain link fence. I asked several guys to climb through a hole in the fence with me, before finally finding someone with the balls to do it. (x)

Love. See for yourself…