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: https://www.instagram.com/watchingnewyork/?hl=en
Purchase: Watching New York: Street Style A to Z: https://www.amazon.com/Watching-New-York-Street-Style/dp/1419769944

Follow Emily McElwreath on Instagram: ⁠@emilymcelwreath_art⁠

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Sound Engineer and Production: Josh Craig

Creative Direction: Nina Yankovic