Throughout the 70s, Julie Gorton fervently photographed the 70s NYC punk scene on her trusty Polaroid camera. In venues like CBGBs, she fully immersed herself in the burgeoning rock landscape, snapping artists like Iggy Pop, Television, Patti Smith, Debbie Harry, Lydia Lunch and David Byrne. And now these photos are making their way online for the first time via her Instagram.
Throughout the 70s, Julie Gorton fervently photographed the 70s NYC punk scene. Now she’s sharing her archive via Instagram.
The archive is extensive, containing hundreds of un-retouched photos taken in the late 70s, mixed amongst some of Gorton’s current projects. Speaking with Creators, she explains how, upon moving to NYV in 1976, she began taking her trusty Polaroid to venues and shooting bands.
“When you had a large unusual camera that made instant prints, it was easy to approach people,” she remembers. “It was very dark at CBGBs. Sometimes the photos didn’t come out the first time. Since the film was expensive, I only shot a few frames of each subject.”
Scrolling through her feed, you are immediately drawn in by a rawness and honesty shining through the photos. There’s plenty of grit to be seen; some of the photos are damaged or underdeveloped, but these artefacts only add to the charm of the ongoing series.
Check out a selection of shots below, and head over to her Instagram to get scrolling.
