"This is who I am, and I am great at being it."

The New York vibe

Words by Andrew Willis

New York is a city of movement — not just in its streets, but in its attitude. Everything feels immediate: the next project, the next place, the next person, the next scene. There is always something to do, someone to photograph, and some collision of culture unfolding in real time that is accessible to those who show up. What I loved most was the confidence of the people. Unlike anywhere else, New Yorkers seem completely, unmistakably themselves — whether it is a cashier at a CVS checkout or an industry titan at the top of their field. The city carries a shared energy of “this is who I am, and I am great at being it”. That force, that pace, and that self-possession are what made New York endlessly compelling to photograph, and balanced the other side of me that is gentler, romantic, more introspective, and idealistic.