I moved to the Big Apple at the beginning of 2017 for education. I still haven't decided if New York will be a positive experience or negative one in regards to the future. They say once you live here, you're screwed when you go anywhere else.
The spoilings are debatable. The packed sidewalks. The accessibility and convenience. The unimaginable amounts of trash. The endless supply of activities. The broken transportation system. The beauty of mixing Central Park's landscapes with urban skyscrapers. Regardless, the photographs exist. Every avenue. Every block.
The following are photographs from my time living in New York City.
Runners fill the paths of Central Park during a late season sunset. November 2, 2017.
On the bike ride home from school, I noticed this small space between the trees where runners would silhouette in front of the moon's light. The sun had nearly set and the sky was radiating violet. This photo (like all others) does not contain any color changes. I waited until I caught a runner alone to shoot. I like that you can see her phone screen.
A woman stretches out in Central Park. New York, NY. August 10, 2017.
Wearing nothing but a thong and a thin layer of paint, women referred to as “desnudas” prowl Times Square’s busy tourist sidewalks for tips in return for a brief photo op. Many critics argue both their provocative near-nude appearance and aggressive tip-collecting tactics are hurting New York City’s image. October 10, 2017.
The young girl in this photo was posing for her father's camera when I noticed from three-floors above in the Guggenheim Museum. I patiently waited hoping she would look up. She eventually did, but I missed it. August 14, 2017.
A person takes refuge on one of the many lawns inside Central Park. October 25, 2016.
Almost a year ago, I stumbled into a NIKE KITH shop in downtown Manhattan. The first thing you notice are the hundreds of Air Force 1’s hanging from the shop’s ceiling. Cool. I snapped the photo you see here. Today, I found out those shoes weren’t shoes, but casted in gypsum cement by an artist I’ve long-admired, Snarkitecture. I still haven’t found new sneakers. March 24, 2017.
A runner passes through the Upper East Side during the 2017 New York City marathon. Running through all five boroughs, the New York City Marathon is the largest in the world with 50,766 finishers and nearly 100,000 applicants this year. November 5, 2017.
Patrick James Beverly | Documentarian
Patrick James Beverly is a documentarian and photojournalist based in Brooklyn, New York, USA.