Alex Webb and Rebecca Norris Webb: Brooklyn, The City Within

by Alex Webb (Photographer), Sean Corcoran (Interviewer), Rebecca Norris Webb (Photographer)

Brooklyn is one of the most dynamic and ethnically diverse places on the planet. In fact, it’s estimated that one in every eight US families had relatives come through Brooklyn when settling in the country. Alex Webb and Rebecca Norris Webb have been photographing this New York City borough for the past five years, creating a profound and vibrant portrait. Alex Webb has traversed every corner of the borough, exploring its tremendous diversity. This parallels his work made in the past forty years, traveling to photograph different cultures around the world―all of which are represented in the place he now calls home. Contrasting with this approach, Rebecca Norris Webb photographed “the city within the city within the city,” the green heart of Brooklyn―the Botanic Garden, Greenwood Cemetery, and Prospect Park, where Brooklynites of all walks of life cross paths as they find solace. Together, their photographs of Brooklyn tell a larger American story, one that touches on immigration, identity, and home.

Genres: Photography, Nonfiction

208 pages, Hardcover

Published September 24, 2019

Reviews

[Jill · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful work.

[Ясен В. · Rating 2 out of 5]

1,5/5

[Edie Lee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Although there are better books by Alex Webb, this collection of photographs is still a joy to look at. The way he uses lines and colors, how he employs the shapes, his portrayals of people, his ability to seize just the right moment—all work together (in spite of their apparent randomness) to create an indelible impression.

Webb and his wife Rebecca, lived in Brooklyn and were about to move away. This collection of pictures served as their goodbye to the borough.

I far preferred Alex’s work to Rebecca’s. Hers, though nice, was not at the same caliber as her husband’s. She peppered her pictures with her original poetry, but I thought these writings unimpressive. Nor did they contribute very much. They may have even marred what would have been a remarkable book.