Faculty: The Original Street Photographer

There once was a time when New York street photography was about more than graffiti and American Apparel. Over the course of the last month, the New York Times has devoted several pieces to Weegee, whose dark mid-century photographs captured the city at its worst. Weegee, whose name was derived from his innate ability to be in the right place at the right time, gained recognition for his raw, black and white pictures of crime and spectacle. He captured the side of New York that could only be seen in film noir, while acting in and inspiring noir legend Jules Dassin's classic film The Naked City. I was lucky enough to see the last Weegee exhibit at New York's International Center for Photography, and I was truly affected by the gritty realism of his pictures and the vulnerability of his subjects. For photos and video, check out NYTimes.com.