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Chris Arnade has lived in Brooklyn Heights for the past twenty years since receiving his Physics PhD from Johns Hopkins and beginning a career as a foreign exchange trader. He’s also been an avid photographer since childhood. For the past couple of years, Chris has been documenting his exploration of New York City on his Flickr blog, covering everything from pigeon keepers to drug addicts and prostitutes. While looking for a Daily Links photo recently we came across a series of photos Chris took of people in East New York and Brownsville last summer and thought it was an amazing contrast to the way these neighborhoods are often portrayed in the media. What was the impetus? “Last summer I read an article in The New York Times about the zip codes with the worst crime statistics and decided to spend some of the summer in one of them, 11233,” he told us. “I never had a bad experience, although I was stopped by the police a few times, making sure I knew what I was doing.” UPDATE: Come check out Chris’ photography at the Urban Folk Art Gallery on March 9, 101 Smith Street. Details here.

UPDATE 2/21/12: The New York Times ran an article about Chris’ photo series on the prostitutes of Hunts Point.


What's Your Take? Leave a Comment

  1. “my problem is that people in ENY have to be photographed by him in order to have validity”

    Ridiculous. The photographer is not saying that– you are saying that! You are framing the argument this way because you are bothered by the fact that a white guy took the pictures. I question your agenda, not the photographers.

    The pictures show A slice of life to people who never go to these areas. Most people are afraid to go there. Are you saying it is bad or unethical to bring these people’s stories to a wider audience.

    I

  2. I don’t think that the photographer should have to hide what he does for a paycheck in order for his art to be taken seriously by you. If you heard that the pictures were taken by a black man living in East New York, would you feel differently about the work? You must find a way to criticize this because you know it was taken by a white guy who is not starving.

    Forget the framing made by the Brownstoner article and take a second to look at the pictures themselves.

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