21 Incredibly Mesmerizing Photos Of New York City In The 1980s

Richard Sandler is a street photographer and documentary filmmaker. These noirish pictures of a broken New York, in the 1980s, were followed by three video documentaries about the overreach of gentrification as a means of fixing it: “The Gods of Times Square,” (1999), “Brave New York,” (2004) and “SWAY,” (2006). Currently, Sandler is editing his film, “AKA Martha’s Vineyard,” and a monograph of his street pictures is in the works. Check out his website here
All images have been used with the photographer’s permission.

1.

34th Street, 1981 Richard Sandler Photography
34th Street, 1981
Richard Sandler Photography

2.

Anti-nuke march, June 12, 1982 Richard Sandler Photography
Anti-nuke march, June 12, 1982
Richard Sandler Photography

3.

C Train, 1985 Richard Sandler Photography
C Train, 1985
Richard Sandler Photography

4.

Furs on 5th Ave., 1984 Richard Sandler Photography
Furs on 5th Ave., 1984
Richard Sandler Photography

5.

Grand Central Terminal, 1989 Richard Sandler Photography
Grand Central Terminal, 1989
Richard Sandler Photography

6.

Grand Central Kodak Billboard, 1982 Richard Sandler Photography
Grand Central Kodak Billboard, 1982
Richard Sandler Photography

7.

Homeless woman and rolls, 1982 Richard Sandler Photography
Homeless woman and rolls, 1982
Richard Sandler Photography

8.

Kids asleep on woman in subway, 1981 Richard Sandler Photography
Kids asleep on woman in subway, 1981
Richard Sandler Photography

9.

Lower Broadway and WTC, 1983 Richard Sandler Photography
Lower Broadway and WTC, 1983
Richard Sandler Photography

10.

Madison Ave. and 32nd St., 1983 Richard Sandler Photography
Madison Ave. and 32nd St., 1983
Richard Sandler Photography

11.

Mortality and a cherry coke, 1984 Richard Sandler Photography
Mortality and a cherry coke, 1984
Richard Sandler Photography

12.

Pissed and pleading on 5th Ave., 1987 Richard Sandler Photography
Pissed and pleading on 5th Ave., 1987
Richard Sandler Photography

13.

soho, nyc, 1983
Soho, 1983
Richard Sandler Photography

14.

Subway couple, 1987 Richard Sandler Photography
Subway couple, 1987
Richard Sandler Photography

15.

Subway noir, 1987 Richard Sandler Photography
Subway noir, 1987
Richard Sandler Photography

16.

Subway couple kissing, 1987 Richard Sandler Photography
Subway couple kissing, 1987
Richard Sandler Photography

17.

Thanksgiving Parade, 1978 Richard Sandler Photography
Thanksgiving Parade, 1978
Richard Sandler Photography

18.

Graffiti subway, 1984 Richard Sandler Photography
Graffiti subway, 1984
Richard Sandler Photography

19.

Van Cleef, 1985 Richard Sandler Photography
Van Cleef, 1985
Richard Sandler Photography

20.

Woman: doubled face, 1984 Richard Sandler Photography
Woman: doubled face, 1984
Richard Sandler Photography

21.

Woman/graffiti/subway, 1984 Richard Sandler Photography
Woman/graffiti/subway, 1984
Richard Sandler Photography

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