Brian Rose
I met Cristal for the first time on the day of the shoot. She and her husband are in business together as dogwalkers in New York City. Every day, they go door to door picking up dogs from Manhattan apartments.
At times, it can be a strenuous job. Cristal was relatively far along in her pregnancy, and she was fortunate to have the help and support of her husband for those moments that were particularly taxing. For the most part, though, she was able to do the walking and handling of the dogs without too much strain.
She was a pleasure to photograph—totally at ease, and patient with my somewhat unwieldy camera on a tripod. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said of the dogs. They were not in the least bit cooperative—much more interested in squirrels than in me and my camera. We later settled on a picture of Cristal laughing, with three dogs pulling in three different directions. We had a lot of fun.
Brian is an American photographer based in New York City, NY.
Cristal, Dog Walker, from Showing: Pregnancy in the Workplace, 2012
Berlin Wall, 1989
Most of my work deals with urban landscapes. People inhabit these landscapes, of course, but I rarely single out individuals. Showing was a welcome assignment—a chance to step outside of my comfort zone.
Having participated in Showing, I’m considerably more aware of the pregnant women I see in the city—on the subway, waiting tables, working in shops. When my wife became pregnant, she was able to juggle things with the cooperation of her business partners. But for independent contractors like Cristal, it can be much more difficult to balance work and parenthood. We have a long way to go, and I hope that Showing helps increase awareness of that fact.
Amsterdam, 1993
Amsterdam, 1998
Atlantic City: Revel Casino, 2017
Atlantic City: Trump Taj Mahal, 2017
Berlin Wall Remnant, 2014
Iron Curtain Border, 1987
Iron Curtain Border, 1987
Lower East Side—Houston Street, 1980
Lower East Side—Houston Street, 2008