Brandon Stanton is the creative mind behind Humans of New York, one of the most widely shared and adored large-scale photography projects in the world. After losing his job trading bonds in Chicago, Stanton made the decision to move to New York City and take photographs of strangers he met on the street. Humans of New York grew out of Stanton’s desire to capture as many individuals as he could, and embodies the incredibly diverse, culturally rich population of New York City.
Stanton, who admits that he “gets really passionate about things,” is passionate about people, above all else. He finds inspiration in human beings of all ages, from all kinds of backgrounds, and walks of life. From a costume-adorning street performer on Broadway, to a single mother in Queens, to a college student studying in Central Park, Stanton believes that each person he meets deserves to be honored, and that their story is valuable.
In four short years, Stanton has shot nearly 5,000 portraits of strangers across NYC and garnered a following of 5.2 million people on Facebook. Those figures are remarkably impressive considering that the photographer began Humans of New York as a kind of hobby upon arriving to the Big Apple. The thousands of portraits have sparked the creation of a massive global community, which grew out of the organic appreciation for the beauty and uniqueness each individual possesses. Perhaps the most intriguing facets of the photo project are the short snippets of personal details and anecdotes that accompany each portrait. The quotations, although often brief, speak volumes about the humanity and experience of every single person that Stanton photographs.
Learn more about Brandon Stanton and Humans of New York in our full profile of the photographer and his world-renowned portfolio that evokes the human experience.