Emptiness

This is 42nd St. at 12:59pm on Sunday, May 24th. It was taken while I was delivering food on bike. I did this to survive during the pandemic, as being a waiter or bartender wasn’t an option. But it enabled me to see New York in a way in which I would never forget, and gave me the opportunity to take some of the greatest photos I have ever taken. This is my second photo from that specific day to be published.

New York was an absolute ghost town from about March through May. I was born and raised there and experienced 9/11, Hurricane Sandy, and the blackout of 2003. None of them compared to this.

As a delivery guy on bike, I was able to see people answering their doors—very vulnerable, in fear for their life, but most of the time empty thank yous from behind a closed door. The shot I took here, I knew right away. I had never in my life in the middle of the day seen 42nd St. without cars on it. I had to pull the trigger.

I feel this image was a direct correlation of the New Yorkers’ pathos and how they may be feeling or maybe how I was feeling: empty, cold, stark, and alone.

James Reade Venable was born in Manhattan, New York. He went to HB Studio to study acting and started his path towards photography with disposable cameras. He has always engaged in artistic pursuits, but it was while living in Belgium that he began submitting his photographs. He has been published in Camas, The Emerson Review, and 86 Logic. He was also the London Photo Festival’s February 2021 Competition winner for the theme “Magic.” He currently is slated to direct a short film. He lives in Gerpinnes, Belgium, with his wife and dog. His photos are available for print at https://fineartamerica.com/profiles/jamesreade-venable.