Photo Essay: 24 Hours in New York City
Daniel Arnold is a photographer with an uncanny ability to catch New Yorkers in their most revealing moments: a picture of a man mid-yawn on the subway becomes poignant, a snapshot of an old woman rooting through a bin of watermelons in Brighton Beach feels like a portrait of New York as a whole. Arnold wanders the city, capturing these moments compulsively. From the Bronx to Times Square to the Church Street Boxing Gym, we asked him to track a full 24 hours’ worth of the listening habits of a diverse cross-section of locals.
7:31 AM
Erica Dinardo
Age: 22
Occupation: Finance
Location: New York Federal Hall
Coming from: Work
Going to: Back to work.
What are you doing: Trying to get a quick tan on a coffee run.
Listening to: Krewella - “Alive”
Why: “It’s feel-good music. Happy music. A good way to start the day.”
12:00 PM
Joe Wesley
Age: 42
Occupation: Tech firm owner
Location: Zuccotti Park
Coming from: Connecticut
Going to: Capital Grille
What are you doing: Business lunch.
Listening to: US Army Corps Orchestra - “Battle Hymn of the Republic”
Why: “It’s awesome!”
1:50 PM
MC Ninja
Age: 21
Occupation: Music
Location: L train between Bedford Avenue and Union Square
Coming from: The Boogie Down Bronx
Going to: Where the money is.
What are you doing: Dancing and stuff.
Listening to: Hip hop and trap music
Why: “It makes me feel good.”
4:20 PM
Loli Bang Bang
Age: 30
Occupation: Body piercer
Location: Union Square
Coming from: Washington Heights
Going to: St. Mark’s Place
What are you doing: Heading to work where I recently pierced a stripper’s asshole.
Listening to: Murs - “Yellow” (a Coldplay cover)
Why: “My friends always say, ‘Know how I know you’re gay? Because you love Coldplay.’”
6:20 PM
Glory T Pride
Ages: 19
Occupation: 620 Boys, GVR Music (Glory Vintage Rebirth) Location: 15th Street and Broadway
Coming from: Brooklyn
Going to: Nowhere for now...
What are you doing: Advancing our specialties in music and fashion, preparing for a business meeting.
Listening to: Joey Bada$$ - “Waves”
Why: “We like things you don’t hear everyday.”
8:55 PM
James Sunderland
Age: 85
Occupation: Retired cook
Location: A Baskin Robbins/Dunkin Donuts combo
Coming from: Rhode Island
Going to: Home, eventually.
What are you doing: My interest is music. But I like to be private about it.
Listening to: Marches by the Goldman Band at Lincoln Center
Why: “I grew up with it. My pop was in the service and he was a musician. My playground was the Navy band room.”
11:22 PM
Raekwon Nixon
Age: 19
Occupation: Dancer
Location: Union Square station
Coming from: The Bronx
Going to: Not sure yet.
What are you doing: Figuring out my new hat.
Listening to: Waka Flocka Flame
Why: “It sounds good loud.”
12:01 AM
Greg Daniel Smith
Age: 34
Occupation: Musician in Greg Smith & the Broken English
Location: Tommy's Tavern in Brooklyn
Coming from: Western Massachusetts
Going to: Home. I have a landscaping job at 6:30 AM.
What are you doing: Drinking with a friend.
Listening to: Bob Dylan - “The Man in Me”
Why: “It's on the jukebox.”
2:25 AM
Nick Gazo
Age: 24
Occupation: Clerk
Location: J train
Coming from: Clerk job in Downtown Brooklyn
Going to: Lower East Side
What are you doing: Heading home.
Listening to: Britney Spears - “Scream & Shout”
Why: “Because I’m one of her biggest fans.”
4:59 AM
Ashley Pearson
Age: 18
Occupation: Student
Location: Coney Island F train, end of the line
Coming from: Coney Island
Going to: Staten Island
What are you doing: Just trying to stay awake.
Listening to: Blackstreet - “No Diggity”
Why: “Because I like Blackstreet.”
A version of this article appeared in The Daily Note, a free daily newspaper distributed in New York during the 2013 Red Bull Music Academy. Header photograph of Daniel Arnold, taken at 5:55 AM. For more of Daniel’s work, check out his Instagram.
