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Compendium of Radness
Compendium of Radness
Photography Vintage

New York in the 80s

Miss Moss
34 Comments
Thursday 23 August, 2012
1 Min read
ny

i still haven’t been to new york. right now it’s a matter of saving saving saving so i can get there one day. every time i’m tempted by a beautiful piece of furniture or a new jacket i think, must save for new york. in the meantime i’m living vicariously through other people’s new york related stories, photos, films… which is why i so enjoyed browsing through New York In the 80s, a collection of photographs by Steven Siegel.

I’ve been photographing the streets and subways of New York for the past 30 years. When young people today look at my shots from the 1980’s, they are aghast. To them, New York of the 1980’s is almost unrecognizable. And they are right.

that’s just an excerpt from Steven’s thoughts about this moment in time that he captured and so generously shared – read the rest here and check out the his other sets for more NY related photography.

“with a flourish the waitress leaves behind rearrange smears”

all photographs by Steven Siegel.

eighties new york city new york in the 80s photographer Photography steven siegel Vintage vintage photos
34 Comments
  1. Pippa

    Thursday 23 August, 2012 11:42 am

    These photo’s are very poignant especially the twin towers, a great find to share, thanks!

    Reply
  2. Romy

    Thursday 23 August, 2012 11:59 am

    These are so awesome. It’s also a dream of mine to go one day. kick ass selection, thanks :)

    Reply
  3. Carmen

    Thursday 23 August, 2012 12:28 pm

    Love this photos!

    Reply
  4. Connie

    Thursday 23 August, 2012 12:39 pm

    I lived in NewYork in the 1980’s. It really doesn’t seem that long ago but my how it’s changed!

    Reply
  5. Leather and Ice Cream

    Thursday 23 August, 2012 12:41 pm

    Beautiful pics!!! :)

    leatherandicecream.blogspot.com

    Reply
  6. Kate

    Thursday 23 August, 2012 12:52 pm

    I remember it well, despite being quite young. When I went back for the first time a couple of years ago, I was amazed at how different it was from my recollection.

    Reply
  7. Bleinch

    Thursday 23 August, 2012 1:03 pm

    Love the pictures.
    love the blog.

    Reply
  8. Taylor

    Thursday 23 August, 2012 2:10 pm

    I can smell the hustle and bustle, makes me miss New York.

    Reply
  9. Ezrina

    Thursday 23 August, 2012 4:06 pm

    Diana, its been a while since Rhenish primary and I’m glad I got to visit your blog! (Do you remember me?) Anyhoots, you have such great posts and I thoroughly enjoy browsing through while I should be working..Amazed at your web surfing skills too. Lol, how do you know about Brooklyn based designers/boutiques when I don’t even have the slightest clue?! Please do come visit NY. Theres much to eat and see. :)

    Reply
  10. Ashley Faye

    Thursday 23 August, 2012 4:26 pm

    love love love this post.
    i grew up in jersey, so i’ve always been close to new york and now living here, i am honestly more times then not disappointed it’s turned into disney world! luckily i reside in brooklyn so i get to escape manhattan most days. .the history is what makes it so special. get here soon! x

    Reply
  11. AA

    Thursday 23 August, 2012 4:35 pm

    @Bleinch love the tones and love everything

    Reply
  12. sally

    Thursday 23 August, 2012 4:52 pm

    Grass is always greener I suppose, New York is amazing in its ways but I honestly can’t wait to get out and see more of the world, like your neck of the woods. :) Cheers to your future voyage, I know you’ll love it.

    Reply
  13. f

    Thursday 23 August, 2012 6:56 pm

    wow, can’t imagine growing up in nyc in the 80s as some of my friends did. very gritty to say the least. and it’s changed so much in the last 10 years that i’ve lived here. we should do a house/apt swap! i would love to visit cape town one day… :D

    Reply
  14. Alexa Y.

    Thursday 23 August, 2012 7:35 pm

    New York City is a pretty amazing place. I’m incredibly lucky to be living here right now, and though it’s definitely very different from the way it was in the 80s, it’s still one AMAZING place. I really hope you get to visit!

    Reply
  15. Dana

    Thursday 23 August, 2012 7:57 pm

    pretty unbelievable. I love these – and as usual I feel nostalgic for a time I didn’t know! I really love his commentary on the flickr set. good luck getting there! it’s awfully different but still a magical place.

    Reply
  16. julie macneil

    Thursday 23 August, 2012 9:13 pm

    i was lucky to live in Boston in the 80’s and NYC was only a 3 hour train ride away! i remember one day getting the first train out and the last back in, spending the whole day walking around, shopping in vintage clothing stores, eating bagels and cream cheese….New York is still my favorite city, even though it has changed (just like every other city) it is still the same! you will fall in love, i can promise you that! i live far away now but am planing a trip to do all the things i never got to do (even after spending a week in Greenwich Village) like have a picnic at the top of the Empire State Building, go to Ellis Island, have a hot dog at Coney Island and take a carriage ride through Central Park!

    Reply
  17. julie macneil

    Thursday 23 August, 2012 9:15 pm

    oh, and i love all the photos, especially the fist one!

    Reply
  18. Michelle

    Thursday 23 August, 2012 11:03 pm

    Great photos and link! I on the other hand would love to see New Zealand! (I lived in New York between 2005-2011 – it was a love-hate relationship and I’m glad to have left but I do miss it in many ways.) By the way, if you liked this, you should also check out Life on the Lower East Side – it’s a collection of photographs of the LES during the 1940s and 50s: http://www.papress.com/html/book.details.page.tpl?isbn=9781568986067

    Reply
  19. Francesca

    Thursday 23 August, 2012 11:32 pm

    wow, that photostream is a goldmine! Thank you so much for sharing! If you haven’t already you should check out Tom Palazzolo, he captured Chicago in similar ways through film and video.

    Reply
  20. sunbeam

    Friday 24 August, 2012 6:25 am

    New York is intense! I went there for 5 days earlier this year, obviously wasn’t enough time, but enough to get a sense of character and ruggedness. You would love it I think, and when you do go, make sure you give yourself lots of time to explore – so much to see!

    Reply
  21. Martha

    Friday 24 August, 2012 3:43 pm

    Love this post…
    I have a very close friend from NY…she was born and raised in Manhattan…and the stories she tells me about how it used to be are amazing.
    It was a city of different energy…where anyone could be anything they want.
    Now, the energy is still amazing, but it’s different.
    It’s much more “sterile”…which can either be good or bad, depending on what you want to see when you go to NY.
    But either way…NY is a city that is constantly changing and always a one of a kind.
    XOXO

    Reply
  22. Ida Ayu Melati

    Friday 24 August, 2012 3:46 pm

    It seems that New York is a beautiful city at the 80s :) not too glamour…

    Reply
  23. alison

    Friday 24 August, 2012 4:50 pm

    i love these photos! you must get to new york… it’s a magical place. i’ve been several times when visiting family. christmas is the best time to go, in my opinion!

    Reply
  24. Dimitri

    Sunday 26 August, 2012 7:00 am

    I just love NYC in the 80s

    Reply
  25. Philippa Berrington-Blew

    Sunday 26 August, 2012 8:16 am

    Absolutely amazing images. Makes me long for New York!

    Reply
  26. Rhianna

    Sunday 26 August, 2012 4:48 pm

    These are incredible photos. I’m yet to go to New York either, and I wasn’t even alive in the 80s, but these somehow have a beautiful nostalgic feel about them. I think it’s the fact that these were almost definitely taken on film – it’s amazing how a different medium can do that to a person! Thanks for sharing, absolutely love these :D Rhi xx

    The Wildest of Dreams

    Reply
  27. Molly

    Monday 27 August, 2012 6:20 am

    Keep saving. It will be SO worth it!

    Reply
  28. Francesca

    Tuesday 28 August, 2012 3:41 pm

    I totally agree with Rhianna. I’ve not been to NY but I somehow share the same feeling of nostalgia, (maybe because of movies)?

    Reply
  29. mudintheusa

    Tuesday 28 August, 2012 4:21 pm

    This photographer is fabulous — great eye for a compelling shot, finished with perfect composition!

    Reply
  30. CQMHF

    Tuesday 28 August, 2012 8:19 pm

    I love this Blog!

    http://cqmhf.blogspot.com.es/

    Reply
  31. chia

    Wednesday 29 August, 2012 1:30 am

    Amazing pic selections!!
    I have been saving both money and energy for My big apple trip, and every time i dream of New York I watch some Woody Ellen’s film : )

    Reply
  32. debbie shubert

    Wednesday 29 August, 2012 9:55 pm

    my niece just enrolled at NYU this week ….her dream came true…hang on to yours….love love love this blog thank you….i own a small antique store in michigan and you always inspire…..

    Reply
  33. Gloria Beshara

    Wednesday 26 September, 2012 9:57 pm

    Thank you for sharing these awesome pictures. NY will always be my favorite city. Love…

    Reply
  34. samiuddin

    Saturday 29 March, 2014 7:26 pm

    Nice collection of pictures. Thanks.

    Reply
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This blog is a means of curating and sharing my love for visual treasures - especially in the creative fields of fashion, art, design and photography (and lots of vintage, too).

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