Hi, I'm Stephen Shore, and I'm really glad you've come by and see my exhibition.

I first became interested in photography when I was really young. When I was six, I was given a darkroom set for my birthday. And by the time I was 11 I had a Leica and a Nikon. And really when I got the Leica I started doing street photography.

I would just go around the city as I went through my day and take pictures. It was quite a scene on 42nd Street: a really seedy area and there were a lot of strange people who would hang out, kinda shifty people, but also there were religious fanatics there who would set up stands and proselytize.

I think being a young person gave me access. I wasn't intimidating. It was just a kid saying, “Can I take your picture?” And they always said, “Yes.”