Editor’s Pick: Jordan Matter

Photo © Jordan Matter

As a native New Yorker, I was instantly struck by New York City photographer Jordan Matter’s image of a businessman running for the subway…or in this case, dancing. Matter’s book, Dancers Among Us (Workman Publishing, Oct. 2012), from which this shot is taken, debuted last year to much acclaim and fanfare—it was named a New York Times bestseller, as well as an Oprah Magazine, Amazon and B&N Best Books of 2012 selection.

Matter travels around the country photographing dancers in everyday situations and in places where dance is totally unexpected. He shoots with natural light and doesn’t use Photoshop, props or gimmicks. This image was shot hand-held with a Nikon D3 camera and 28mm 1.4 lens at f/3.2, 1/60 second, ISO 2500. The genesis for the book? “As I played with my son, I thought about creating photographs that would show the world as if through his eyes,” Matter says. “The people would be alive and in the moment, celebrating all aspects and emotions of everyday life.”

Next up for Matter is the project “Athletes Among Us.”