Harlem in Harlem, New York, USA
I’ve always been most fascinated by the immense contrast in human perspective, and this is the probably most common theme in my work. I’ve been fortunate to travel quite a bit and I’ve still never found a place more diverse than New York City. I’m not speaking about race as much as social backgrounds and all of the incredible micro cultures that make up this city.
Place you live: Brooklyn, New York
Specific location your photos were taken: Harlem, New York
Can you sum up the place you live? Bed Stuy Brooklyn is one of the most beautiful neighborhoods in the whole city, mostly made up of Brownstones from the late 1800’s. They were originally weekend homes for the rich living in Manhattan, but when the stock market crashed in 1929, most people had to sell their second homes for almost nothing. Just a few years later the IND subway line (now the A & C Line) was finished, creating a direct route from Harlem to Bed Stuy. This is how Bed Stuy became predominantly black. Only recently has the neighborhood become a bit safer and more diverse.
Love this photo as much as we do? Well you are in luck! Its available as a limited edition print in our shop.
Occupation: Photographer
Preoccupation: Cycling
What is your perfect day in NYC? A photo shoot followed by a BBQ with friends in Prospect Park
What is the best thing about your spot? Traveling everywhere by bicycle. I’m almost never ride the Subway or take a taxi.
What is the worst? You never realize how fast the pace is until you leave New York and go somewhere else. It makes everywhere else feel too quiet, when in reality it just means that this place can be a bit too much.
What would be surprising about this place to an outsider? The first thing people mention is how surprisingly livable it seems. If you come here and stay in a hotel in midtown Manhattan, it’s hard to imagine how people can sustain it. But if you get out on the quiet streets of Brooklyn it feels very homey.
A place you want to visit before you die? Pyongyang, North Korea
Who are three of your favorite photographers right now? Nadav Kander, Taryn Simon & Edward Burtynsky
Name:Reed Young
City:New York
Best place to eat?
Roman’s in Ft. Greene
Best place to drink?
Extra Fancy in Williamsburg
Best place to shop?
The Ft. Greene Farmers Market
If someone was visiting what must they do?
Take a bicycle tour of the city – it’s such a fun way to see New York.