"Stop"
There are these guys who are always singing on the West Side Highway, usually dressed sharp, one of them always in red velvet shoes. You can’t tell here, since I shot it in black and white, but that detail stuck with me. One morning I couldn’t help myself and lined up the shot with my Leica IIIc which is not exactly the fastest camera, considering it’s from the 1940s. As I clicked the shutter, they noticed and threw their hands up to block their faces.
I still can’t tell if that moment made me more afraid or less afraid of street photography, but I’m glad I took the chance. The lab actually messed up the development on this roll, but in a way, it just adds to the charm — the imperfections, the texture, that unpredictable “film look.” This one has become one of my favorites, not just for the photo itself, but for the story that came with it.