Times Square has endless opportunities for entertainment. Working there opened up my eyes to a different side of New York. I saw the city as my place of employment; it was no longer an attraction. My favorite part the year-and-a-half long experience was my lunch break. An hour away from the confinement of an office. I broke the typical lunch break routine one day; I started bringing my camera along for walks around Midtown. This simple idea transformed into the beginnings of an eye-opening project.
People were rarely the subject of my photography. My focus was capturing architecture and scenery. It is nearly impossible to wait for a clear street in New York. With a few rolls of Kodak Portra in my pocket, I decided to start including people in the places I found interesting. With my camera across my chest, some days I would go to pick up my mail by Rockefeller Plaza, other days I would venture to 14th street to take in the vibrancy of Union Square. I found myself appreciating the individuals in my photos and how amazing it was that they were one of millions running around New York at that given moment.
New York Lunch Hour is a four month collection of photographs from February to May of 2012. I went for a photo walk everyday regardless of the cold or the rain. I left my work the end of May, therefore concluding the New York Lunch Hour series.
