Melissa O’Shaughnessy and Alex Webb | Aperture Conversations

On the occasion of the reissue of “Perfect Strangers: New York City Street Photographs,” two prolific New York City street photographers, Melissa O’Shaughnessy and Alex Webb, discuss the tradition of the genre and the artistry of the unexpected. Order “Perfect Strangers" here: https://bit.ly/3Kc8CDt As one of a growing number of women street photographers contributing to this dynamic genre, O’Shaughnessy enters the territory with clarity and a distinctly humanist eye. Through her curious and quirky vision, we witness the play of human activity on the glittering sidewalks of the city. Webb, recognized as a pioneer of American color photography since the 1970s, has consistently created photographs characterized by intense color and light. His work, with its richly layered and complex composition, touches on multiple genres, including street photography, photojournalism, and fine art, but as Webb claims, “To me it all is photography. You have to go out and explore the world with a camera.” This conversation originally took place on September 8, 2025.