Johnny Cirillo: Watching New York

In Season 8, Episode 1 of The Art Career Podcast, Emily sits down with Johnny Cirillo, the photographer and visual storyteller behind Watching New York — one of the most influential portrait projects documenting contemporary life in the city today. Born in Jackson Heights, Queens, Johnny developed an early passion for photography as a teenager on Long Island, after his mother gave him his first 35mm camera and shared her own black-and-white photographs from the 1960s. What began as an obsession quickly became a practice: rolling his own film, building a darkroom, and photographing friends as he explored the medium from the inside out. Through Watching New York, Johnny has built and connected a global community of more than 2 million people united by a shared love for New York — its people, its fashion, and its everyday magic. His work is rooted in attention and intimacy, capturing fleeting moments that feel both deeply personal and collectively recognizable. Johnny has collaborated with brands including Airbnb, Gucci, AMI Paris, Balenciaga, GQ, Burberry, Adidas, Away, and Free People, and has interviewed artists and cultural figures such as Halsey, Ethan Hawke, Colman Domingo, Charli XCX, Ashley Graham, and Lizzo. In this conversation, they explore: His early relationship to photography and image-making How Watching New York evolved into a cultural archive The ethics of looking, access, and photographing strangers Building trust and community through portraiture Collaborating with major brands while maintaining artistic integrity This episode is a thoughtful reflection on observation, authorship, and the quiet power of paying attention — essential listening for anyone interested in photography, cultural memory, and the art of seeing. Follow Johnny: Purchase: Watching New York: Street Style A to Z: Follow Emily McElwreath on Instagram: ⁠ @emilymcelwreath_art⁠ Visit ⁠ theartcareer.com ⁠ for more episodes and resources If you loved this episode, tag @theartcareer and share your favorite insight on IG stories! Don’t forget to leave a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify—it helps more creatives discover the show. Sound Engineer and Production: Josh Craig Creative Direction: Nina Yankovic

You can listen to Johnny Cirillo: Watching New York online on Radio and Podcast. Open the player on this page to stream the available audio.

Johnny Cirillo: Watching New York is an episode from The Art Career Podcast by Emily McElwreath.

This episode is 01:01:14 long.

This episode was published on Jan 15, 2026.

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