My inspiration in photography has always come from the people and history of New York. When I began with photography, I would walk the streets of 5th Avenue for fun and people watch. I didn’t know that it was called street photography. Over time, I grew a portrait and event business, began to photograph and learn more about the unique neighborhoods and incredible architecture of New York, and just went exploring as much as I possibly could. I read up on the history of New York when I could and became a certified tour and workshop guide.
Now my business is split between running a print business, a portrait photography business working with companies and people around New York, and a photography tour and street photography workshop business, helping photographers from all over the world capture the best of New York.
Over the years, I’ve worked with the Daily News, with businesses of all sizes and types around New York and the world, and with many websites. I have written three books as well as for many magazines and websites covering photography and New York. My prints have been sold and licensed to people and companies around the world, including Tiffany & Co. and G-Star Raw.
I also work on documentary projects. My recently completed 7-year project, Luxury for Lease, captures the changing spirit of New York in the post-9/11 world. The project, East Village Stories, consists of nearly 150 portraits and in-depth interviews from 2012-2017 with long-time residents, business owners, and employees in the East Village neighborhood of New York City. The project has become a historical account of the mid-to-late 20th Century of one of the most vibrant and lively neighborhoods in the city. I completed a project with the Manny Cantor Community Center in 2017 on the Lower East Side called Storytelling in our Immigrant City, with interviews and portraits of 25 people whose lives have been touched by immigration on the LES. And I’m currently working on a recipe book with the MCC, covering family dishes and the stories behind them from the diverse community of the Lower East Side.
I consider myself incredibly lucky to be doing what I do, and I try to share my passion for photography and the city with everyone that I work with. If you would like to consider working together, I would love to speak with you. Please email me directly at james@jamesmaherphotography.com.