In the Street, 1948
Helen Levitt's own short film about children at play and street life in Spanish Harlem, re-released by The Met with music by Ben Model.
Children dance and play in alleys, shopkeepers sweep the sidewalk, and residents watch from their windows. In In the Street, Helen Levitt captures street life in East Harlem, New York, shortly after World War II. She made the film with Janice Loeb and James Agee.
The Met released this version under the title In the Street, 1948 – A Film by Helen Levitt, ft. New Musical Score by Ben Model | From the Vaults. The new music was written and performed by Ben Model. The film runs about 21 minutes and shows everyday life in the neighborhood, with room for humor and small gestures.
As a street photographer, you can look at what those ordinary actions reveal: how children use the street for play and how others watch. The film also gives you a reason to think about what street photography is. The subject is already there, on the sidewalk and behind the windows.
