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December 1984, I went into Competitive Camera on 7th Ave. and bought a Canon AE-1
Not in my wildest dreams did I anticipate being a photographer. I was a cab driver who was
sick of seeing things disappear every time I turned around. "Reaganomics" was starting to
kick in, and after decades of urban decline, the wrecking ball was now working overtime.
I just wanted to capture as many images of the "Old New York", which I knew from books, and
also my childhood. Did you know that 40 years ago there was a bowling alley at every single
subway stop on Broadway from Christopher St. to 110st? I bowled in most of them as a boy.
The old movie houses were something to behold. Even old gas stations were far more interesting!
Many old piers along the old west side (Miller) highway were starting to be torn down as well.
As is usual for me, I regret not photographing more of this stuff, but have more than enough
to keep me in the darkroom for months. Walker Evans might be my favorite photographer.
He spent the last couple years of his life tearing down old Coke signs with his students at Yale,
as if photographing these things were no longer enough. (I have a similar need for these artifacts)
Evans photographed the vernacular, things which represented everyday life back in his day,
but he also was interested in the previous century's remnants. Today, there are slim pickings
left to photograph in this town, as the job started by Robert Moses has almost been completed
by the Trumps & co. (unless one finds today's vernacular interesting)
urban photos - black and white photographs by Matt Weber, New
York
"Olive" 1920's Traffic light
Soho 1986
Circa 1896 Fire Hydrant at
Coney Island "Luna Park"
