If you loved
Humans of New York
Brandon Stanton · Book · 2013
What hooked you in Humans of New York was the way brief, spontaneous encounters reveal the profound, hidden depths of ordinary lives.
Films on the same thread
Manhattan
Woody Allen · Film · 1979
Explores: Infidelity, Age Gap Romance, Existential Crisis.
Like Humans of New York, this film captures the specific, neurotic pulse of city life, focusing on the tangled personal narratives that define the complicated human experience in Manhattan.
Paris Is Burning
Jennie Livingston · Film · 1991
Explores: Found family, Intersectionality, Performative identity.
This documentary echoes the ethnographic curiosity of Humans of New York by offering an intimate, ground-level look at the vibrant subcultures and personal stories thriving within the city landscape.
All of Us Strangers
Film · 2023
Explores: Grief, Loneliness, Memory.
Much like the deeply personal interviews found in Humans of New York, this film peels back the layers of a stranger's life to reveal universal themes of loneliness and reconciliation.
City of God
Fernando Meirelles · Film · 2002
Explores: Poverty and Violence, Cycle of Crime, Lost Innocence.
This film mirrors the raw, observational spirit of Humans of New York, contrasting the struggle for individual identity against the harsh, unforgiving backdrop of a sprawling urban environment.
Series on the same thread
How I Met Your Mother
Carter Bays · Series · 2005
Shares a thread with Humans of New York: Urban Life.
If you valued the focus on interconnected personal journeys in Humans of New York, you will appreciate how this series tracks the evolving friendships that anchor a life.
Friends
Marta Kauffman · Series · 1994
Explores: Friendship, Relationships, Coming of Age.
Fans of Humans of New York will recognize the familiar comfort found in these urban survival stories, highlighting how companionship provides the necessary support to navigate city pressures.
How To with John Wilson
John Wilson · Series · 2020
Explores: New York City life, Anxiety, Self-discovery.
This project shares the candid, street-level observational style of Humans of New York, turning the camera on the eccentric and everyday rhythms of New Yorkers to spark self-discovery.
Brooklyn Nine-Nine
Daniel J. Goor · Series · 2013
Explores: Ensemble Cast, Underdog, Character-Driven.
Much like the diverse cast of characters in Humans of New York, this series leans into the specific personalities and found family dynamics that define a local community.
Podcasts on the same thread
Making Space with Hoda Kotb
Hoda Kotb, TODAY · Podcast · 2026
Explores: Human resilience, Emotional healing, Self-discovery.
This podcast captures the same spirit of empathetic listening found in Humans of New York, focusing on the resilience of the human spirit through deeply personal and honest testimonials.
Hidden Brain
Hidden Brain, Shankar Vedantam · Podcast · 2026
Explores: cognitive bias, human behavior, interpersonal dynamics.
If the psychological depth of the stories in Humans of New York fascinated you, this show provides the analytical framework to understand the complex human behaviors behind those narratives.
Keep exploring
Common questions
What is the origin of Humans of New York?
Humans of New York began in the summer of 2010 when photographer Brandon Stanton started an ambitious project to create a photographic census of New York City. The project evolved from simple street photography into a collection of in-depth interviews and portraits documented on his popular blog.
Is Humans of New York just a collection of photographs?
No, Humans of New York is not just a collection of photographs. While the project started with photography, the accompanying interviews became a central component. The dialogue Brandon Stanton has with the people he meets on the streets is considered as intriguing and moving as the images themselves.
How did Humans of New York become a book?
The book Humans of New York, published in 2013, compiles the work Brandon Stanton produced during his photographic census project. It features the portraits and the personal stories he gathered while interviewing residents throughout New York City, capturing the depth of the dialogues he established on the streets.
What is the focus of the dialogue in Humans of New York?
The dialogue in Humans of New York focuses on the personal stories of the individuals Brandon Stanton encounters. These conversations have become increasingly in-depth and moving over time, transforming the project from a simple census into a platform for sharing the unique experiences of people living in New York.