As a photographer, I’ve always believed that the as long as the light is good and the subject is placed and lit well you can create a good photograph just like in this boy’s room — or can you?
As it turns out, photographer Justin Bettman literally turned the streets of New York City into amazing photography sets. Using discarded items found all over NYC, Bettman with prop stylist Gozde Eker, created elaborate sets that look like rooms of a house. The sets look like they’ve been directly pulled out from a Wes Anderson flick. The two looks out for interesting locations by using Google Street View. There are times when Bettman finds interesting places—as well as unwanted materials—during his morning jogs.
For those who are worried about the mites and bed bugs, the duo assures everyone that the items and furniture are sprayed three times. The found items are then kept in a padlocked parking space and then U-Hauled to the chosen location before the sun comes up.
After building the set and having it photographed with a model, the duo just leaves it over for the whole neighborhood and passersby to enjoy. They encourage people to take their own photos and share it online through signs and the hashtag #setinthestreet.
Some of the sets remain unscathed for hours, even for weeks. Others are immediately taken down either by unhappy folks, garbage collectors, or a lucky passerby who is in need of pre-loved furniture. We hope to see more of these because the duo creates great photography. They also prove that as long as you are imaginative, you can make any location great to shoot in. They also help make the city and commuting a little more interesting and fun for everyone through their photography sets. On top of that they, promote reusing old items just by cleaning and spraying a ton of bed bug spray in it.
What do you guys think? Share your thoughts at the comments below!