No matter the year, the decade, the movement or the theory, good chances are that it has found itself a home in the hustle and bustle of New York City. Whether it was the Beat poets, the club kids or Warhol’s factory, New York City is the place to be. Between 1966 and 1967 Tod Papageorge knew this and found himself in the centre of the modern world armed with his wits and his camera.

Using his Kodachrome camera he captures the life and times of New Yorkers, the vibrancy of the city and the coupling of ordinary and extraordinary. From people in parks enjoying the summer, shop windows desperately trying to shout above a city with a booming voice, or the voice of the streets itself, Papageorge saw the value in it all.

The series of images Papageorge called Dr. Blankman’s New York, the name rooted in his image of Dr S.H. Blankman’s optometrist clinic and it’s advice in the window “EYES EXAMINED”. The series established the New Hampshire photographer as a serious player in the industry and has later seen him stand out from the crowd with his use of colour and preference for shop windows as his muse.

The other shots in the book show an eye for the out-of-balance as he serves up wonderfully quirky images of New York street life. It’s a gift which has seen Papageorge’s seminal book gain critical acclaim and find its way into many people’s homes.

Take a look below at some highlights of this incredible book and a snapshot of New York life in 1966 – 1967.

(All images via Tod Papageorge’s Dr Blankman’s New York which is available here)