
With vendors selling enormous watermelons, boisterous children playing games, and actors performing at the roadside, the streets of 1960s New York were bustling and vibrant.

When Jonathan Brand returned from the US Army inGermany, he decided there was no better place to become a street photographer than the city's Lower East Side and Upper West Side.

His best photos are showcased in a fascinating new book titled Lower East and Upper West .

To mark its release, the photographer's daughter Ulrika wrote in huck magazine: 'The photographs document my father's appreciation of the everyday, from family life to incidents that he encountered on the streets of New York City.

'His quickness with the camera enabled him to capture gestures and interactions that might escape the casual observer. He loved the quirky juxtapositions and moments of humor that the city offered.

'He accepted and loved what he saw. Now eighty-four years old, he has chosen the photographs in this book as a means to share his vision and experience of life in New York during a vital period.'

With vendors selling enormous watermelons, boisterous children playing games, and actors performing at the roadside, the streets of 1960s New York were bustling and vibrant. This image shows boys on East Houston Street. It was taken in 1960 by Jonathan Brand – a New York street photographer who captured the spirit of the city between 1957 and 1968. A census taker and later an advertising copywriter, Brand chronicled life as he encountered it on his walks through the city

When John Brand returned from the US Army in Germany, he decided there was no better place to become a street photographer than the city's Lower East Side and Upper West Side. Left: A New York resident named Mark Berghash on his bike, taking a break from his painting studio. The photo was taken in 1964. Right: A woman named Monika poses for the camera in a dress and sunglasses during the summer of 1963. The top of a girl's head can be seen at the bottom of the portrait

Brand's best photos are showcased in a fascinating new book titled Lower East and Upper West. This photo is titled Two young men waiting at the corner. It was taken in 1965 and shows one man sitting on a trash can and another standing next to a mail box. In the background a boy walks past the two men and looks straight down the lense of the camera. Across the street, a man stands on the side of the road, possibly waiting for a taxi as traffic passes by

This image taken in 1963 shows a threatre street performance. A group of children sit in the front row watching as an actress raises her arm and appears to shout while an actor sits still with his arms folded on a chair. Today street performers are commonplace in the city. for example, by walking into any subway station you're more than likely to find a subway performer. Brand's daughter said of her father: 'His quickness with the camera enabled him to capture gestures and interactions that might escape the casual observer. He loved the quirky juxtapositions and moments of humor that the city offered'

Making a living: This photo shows a street salesman transporting giant watermelons in trolleys. He looks at the camera as he lifts one up as if to show how heavy it is. Street vending has long been popular in New York with foods from falafel to oysters being sold on the city's streets. Today more than 10,000 people make a living by street vending in the city. The bottom right of the photo shows the back wheel of a bike which has just gone past, reflecting the pace of life in the city

This image, titled Pontiac Bonneville and its proud owner, was taken in 1965. It shows a New Yorker standing outside his new car with one hand in his pocket and one by his side holding a cigarette. He smiles directly at the camera. The Pontiac Bonneville was built from 1957 to 2005. The General Motors brand was introduced as a limited production performance convertible in 1957

Brand captured a range of New Yorkers of all classes, genders and backgrounds. The image on the left shows a woman posing for the camera with her hand on her hip. She holds in a cigarette in this hand and places her other palm on a railing for balance as she smiles while looking directly into the camera. The image was taken in 1963. The picture on the right shows four girls posing for the camera. One in the background is holding a cat to her shoulder as she looks into the near distance

This image shows a man riding a motorcyle as his passenger makes preparations before setting off. It was taken in 1957. The top right of the photo shows and elderly man and four children watching on. To mark the release of Brand's book, the photographer's daughter Ulrika wrote in huck magazine: 'The photographs document my father's appreciation of the everyday, from family life to incidents that he encountered on the streets of New York City'

This image was taken in 1960. It shows a family walking with their dog along a street in New York City. The father wearing a suit and hat holds his young child in his arms as puffs on a cigarette which protrudes from his mouth. The woman walking next to him pushes the child's pram with one hand while holding her dog's lead in the other hand, making sure the mutt can't run away. Neither the man nor the woman looks at the camera as they make their way through the city

This photo titled Orange Juice Stand was taken in 1960. It shows a man in a hat and coat waiting for some freshly squeezed orange juice. He holds his chin and looks into the distance with one arm on the stall. In the back ground, a man behind the stall rests him elbow on the surface with his fist on his cheek. A pile of oranges is to his left and the machines for manually crushing the oranges sit infront of him

This is one of Brand's photos which does not contain and humans. It shows a cat urinating next to a dairy shop. A trickle of urine runs down the pavement from the cat which sits next to a 7up advertisement board on the front of the shop. In the window of the shop there is an advertisement for Dolly Madison ice cream as well as a sign offering salads and other foods

This image on the left shows a man resting at the side of a building. It was taken in 1967. The man wearing a hat and suit complete with a bow tie smiles as he sits cross legged while holding his walking stick on one hand. The image on the right shows a window dresser striking a pose for the camera. It was taken in 1960. The man lifts his leg into the air with one hand on his hip and the other against the window of the shop as another man looks on