Born 1926, American photographer Benn Mitchell, from the age of 13 when he received his first camera, has been producing photographs that capture particularly American vitality. He sold his first photograph to LIFE magazine when he was 16. At the age of 17, he headed west from New York City, gaining permission from Warner Brothers to photograph the stars on the various sound stages and sets of Hollywood, where he created iconic portraits of Humphrey Bogart, Marilyn Monroe, and many others.
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| New York taken by Benn Mitchell in the 1940s and early 1950s |
After two years of duty as a navy photographer, Mitchell returned to New York City and was employed in a large commercial studio. In 1951, he started his own commercial studio in New York City.
During the weekends and holidays, Mitchell continued to photograph for his own satisfaction and has won many awards both domestic and international. He was been published in many photo annuals and today his work appears in Fortune 500 companies, and all over the world in advertising, books and major magazines. Collectors also buy his fine art photographs.
These fascinating photos are from part of his work that Mitchel decomented street scenes of New York in the 1940s and early 1950s.
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| 60 Cent Haircut, 1943 |
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| Birds in sky, Stern Building, New York City, 1946 |
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| 2nd Avenue El and 45th Street, 1947 |
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| Paramount Theatre, 1947 |
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| Descending subway stairs, New York, 1948 |
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| George Washington Bridge, New York City, 1948 |
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| Lion, New York City, 1948 |
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| 42nd Street, New York, 1949 |
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| New York Public Library, 1949 |
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| Times Square, New York City, 1949 |
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| Bus Stop, New York, 1950 |
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| No Parking, New York, 1950 |
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| Rockefeller Center ice rink, New York, 1950 |
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| Victory Theatre, 42nd Street, New York, 1950 |
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| Broadway, New York City, 1951 |
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| Ghost Rider & King, 1951 |
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| Two boys eating ice cream, New York, 1951 |
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| Untitled, 1951 |
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| 3rd Avenue El, New York, 1952 |
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| Lonely man, New York City, 1952 |
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| The Dalton Gang, 1952 |
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| Horse pulling wagon, New York City, 1953 |
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| Street speaker, 42nd Street, New York City, 1953 |