This was published 6 years ago
Brandon Stanton, the man behind Humans of New York, is coming to Australia
By Sofija Petrovic
After losing his job as a bond trader in Chicago in 2010, Brandon Stanton moved to New York with no friends, no money, and no training in photography or journalism.
He started walking the streets of New York taking pictures of strangers, ultimately creating a collection of faces and stories known as Humans of New York.
Brandon Stanton, creator of Humans of New York, is coming to Sydney this February. Credit: Kathy Willens
This year, Stanton will be making his first trip to Australia in a one-off Sydney exclusive. He will be spending an afternoon at the Sydney Opera House, taking audiences behind the scenes of his work and elaborating on some of his best and worst moments.
Stanton initially had a goal to collect 10,000 photographs of New Yorkers for his catalogue. Along the way he began to interview subjects; adding quotes and short stories from their lives. These became the basis of an ongoing global blog that provides daily glimpses into the lives of strangers.
His huge success over the past five years has expanded to include stories from over 20 different countries. From Pakistan and Iran, to Uganda and South Sudan, and right through to Ukraine, Stanton has created an anthology of everyday human stories, focusing on the joys and hardships that tie people together.
Since 2013, Stanton has been listed as one of Time's 30 Under 30 World Changers, crowdfunded $US2.3 million to help end bonded labour in Pakistan, and met with President Barack Obama. His photographic series from the Paediatrics Department of Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in NYC also raised more than $US3.8 million for paediatric cancer research.
Stanton's visit to the Sydney Opera House is part of the year round Talks and Ideas program which features ideas, conversation and debate from leading thinkers around the world.
Pre-sale tickets go on sale for Sydney Opera House Insider Members at 9am on Tuesday, January 9. The second lot of pre-sale tickets will be available to What's On e-newsletter subscribers at 9am on Wednesday, January 10.
Tickets for the general public go on sale 9am on Friday, January 12. Prices start from $29 (plus the booking fee).