Photo Exhibition: Boardwalks, Beaches and Boulevards at the David Hill Gallery

A photo exhibition of candid shots of American life will open at the David Hill Gallery in Ladbroke Grove this week.

Harold Feinstein’s exhibition, Boardwalks, Beaches and Boulevards, celebrates humanity with his subjects.

From the glittering lights of Times Square to the streets of Harlem; the smoke-filled coffee shops to subway cars; from city stoops to crowded beaches, Feinstein’s desire to connect with the world around him and share the experiences he saw is evident in every composition.

Born in Coney Island in 1931, Feinstein left school to begin photographing at the age of 15 and became one of the most prominent figures in the vanguard of the New York City street photography scene.

He was not a photographer who would stand back and observe, unnoticed by his subjects.

In fact, in nearly every image, Feinstein’s proximity to his subject is clear.

Whether standing over a group of teenagers lying on a Coney Island beach, photographing a couple on the boulevard, or capturing the gaze of a young child, intimacy and compassion sit at the core of each image.

A deep sense of empathetic humanity runs through these photographs.

He said: “Everywhere people live out their own personal story, yet are tied together through the universal emotions of love, loss, curiosity, humour and compassion.

“My street photography is a small sampling of my photographic journey bearing witness to the beauty and mystery of this human life.”

Despite his early success, Feinstein’s extensive collection of classic street photography, nudes, portraits and still life have seldom been exhibited.

A renaissance of his work is currently underway including the 2019 feature length documentary Last Stop Coney Island: The Life and Photography of Harold Feinstein.