The Many Seasons of Humans of New York, featuring Brandon Stanton

The Many Seasons of Humans of New York, featuring Brandon Stanton

From B&H Photography Podcast by B&H Photo & Video

February 12, 2026 · 1h 31m

About this episode

Brandon Stanton discusses his journey with Humans of New York and the art of authentic storytelling through street photography.

It takes a lot of guts to engage with a stranger on the street, ask probing questions about their struggles, and come away with a portrait and a story as a record of the human connection that was made. Now, imagine repeating this process countless times over 15 years under the moniker Humans of New York (HONY) and watching what started as a passion project take the world by storm. In today's show, we're privileged to chat with this 21st century archivist of everyday citizens and their lived experiences. Listen in as HONY's creator, Brandon Stanton, shares how he transformed street photography into a practice of deep human connection—moving beyond candid pictures to create a unique space where strangers can reveal their most authentic selves. Some key discussion points include: the art of active listening, the power of vulnerability, and how finding someone's struggle unlocks their genius. Brandon also reflects on building a creative practice through daily discipline and navigating the tension between social media algorithms and meaningful art. Stay to the end for a peek behind the scenes of Brandon's recent blockbuster installation that brought ordinary New Yorkers' stories into…

People in this episode

Guest: Brandon Stanton

Topics covered

  • street photography
  • human connection
  • storytelling
  • vulnerability
  • creative practice

Keywords

  • Humans of New York
  • Brandon Stanton
  • street photography
  • human connection
  • storytelling
  • vulnerability
  • creative practice

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Humans of New York

Places: Grand Central Terminal

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