Gustavo Minas

This was my first time in the US and in NYC, a place I literally dreamed about photographing. My mind was full of remarkable images by great street photographers who have roamed these streets before me. Although I had some preconceived ideas and mental images of the city, exploring an unknown place with a camera is always a great discovery. Little by little, stereotypes fall into pieces, and you start creating your own imaginary map of it. You reinvent the city, and by doing so, you reinvent yourself a little too. This process is always exciting, and this excitement can be overwhelming sometimes. In the first two nights, I couldn’t sleep even being too tired, as my mind couldn’t stop thinking about what I’d find the next morning – and if the weather would be good and give me some light to play with. I’d wake up around 6h30, get some cheap coffee and a croissant, and walk, walk, walk, apparently aimlessly, trying to make sense, with my images, of this wonderful mix of chaos, energy, and flux. I’m aware I just scratched the surface of this deep world, and this feeling just makes me want to come back for more.