Stranger-Friend

• Prize
  Bronze in Special Categories/Street Photography
• Photographer
  Aldo Gonzalez
• Photo Date
  November 2024

In these fleeting street portraits, anonymous strangers are momentarily transformed into familiar figures. Each frame captures a spontaneous exchange—a glance, a pause, an expression—that turns everyday urban anonymity into quiet, shared intimacy. These images invite viewers to question the nature of connection, and to imagine the lives behind the faces, if only for a heartbeat. Set against the chaotic rhythm of the street, these transient encounters become lasting visual whispers.

I was born in Las Villas, Cuba, and grew up in NJ. Currently splits time between New York City and the Catskills. During high school, I attended a Vocational School for Photography and later the School of Visual Arts in NYC, majoring in Fine Art Photography. Faced with the challenges of the artist's life, I joined the US Air Force and began a new career in Bioenvironmental Engineering, putting his passion for photography on hold. Forty years later, I have rekindled my passion for street photography. NYC remains my favorite place for street photography.