Anyone who has tried to sneak a covert photo in New York’s crowded subway will know that this is a difficult thing to achieve, and all the more so for Lyon who in 1966 was not packing a compact point-and-shoot, but a hefty Rolleiflex.

Even if he tried to be discreet, it was almost inevitable that his subjects would notice him as he wielded his large camera. In several cases, Lyon’s shutter fires just at the second that the subject makes eye contact.

Danny Lyon

The moment of eye contact between the photographer and his subject can feel awkward, an unbidden and perhaps unwelcome intimacy. And this is precisely how many people feel about eye contact on the subway. In an extreme example, the NY Times observed that some passengers prefer to stand in the doorway simply in order to avoid “the sometimes uncomfortable feeling of accidentally making eye contact with seated passengers.”

Despite the numerous warnings to avoid eye-contact on the NYC subway at all costs, friendlier voices have prevailed. Likewise, the moments when Lyon’s subjects meet his camera’s gaze, the result is often pretty terrific. In some cases, spotting the camera makes for a cheeky ‘gotcha’ moment, an opportunity to play act, or a slightly bashful retreat.