1899–1968

Weegee and his camera were the ultimate spectators of life in New York, and his pictures provide the voyeuristic thrill of seeing an accident in progress—just the sort of voyeurism that New Yorkers love to indulge in. He was born in Austria as Arthur Fellig and began working as a newspaper photographer when he came to New York in 1920. He concentrated on murders and violent crimes of all sorts, including fires, accidents, and catastrophes. His 1945 book Naked City is full of unflinching New York moments shot in black and white: lovers smooching in parks, murder victims, criminals in handcuffs, and happy crowds on beaches, all of which became iconic images of mid–20th century New York City.