In collaboration with Living Proof, Boogie has revisited his first decade of photography in New York to present NEW YORK IS MINE / I CAME AT THE PERFECT TIME, 166 pages of never-before-seen photos shot during a historic time for both the city and the legendary photographer’s career.
Growing up amidst the violence and civil unrest which plagued Belgrade during the nineties, Boogie, born 1970 as Vladimir Milivojevich, escaped the chaos taking over his hometown from behind the lens of an Olympus OM-2 given to him by his father.
Now revered as one of the most influential street photographers of the 21st century, Boogie has captured iconic images of urban life and city culture in New York, his home country of Serbia, and dozens of locales in between. His all-in approach and immersive commitment to the craft has allowed him access to places and scenes typically closed off to outsiders, leading his work to become regarded as some of the most captivating depictions of life on the margins of society.
Prior to the Yugoslav Wars (1991-2001) which eventually led to Serbia’s independence after the collapse of Yugoslavia, Boogie had a typical childhood. Though he came from a family of amateur photographers, he admits that he was more interested in riding bikes and playing football than picking up a camera. “My dad tried to get me into it… but nope. Not until shit hit the fan in my country. We had war raging all around – street protests, riots, police beating people, the reality was pretty dark. That’s when I started taking pictures – I guess to preserve my sanity.” As the war continued, Boogie won a green card lottery for permanent residency in the United States, and moved to Brooklyn in 1998. Upon arrival, he experienced immense culture shock, familiar with New York only through what he had seen in films like Taxi Driver and Dog Day Afternoon. He was no stranger to the craziness of city life, however, finding inspiration in his new setting and going out daily to wander the streets, shooting photos exclusively in black and white film.
Before becoming the celebrated photographer he is today, featured in places like The New York Times, Rolling Stone, and HBO’s How To Make It in America, Boogie faced a difficult first few years in New York. He worked odd jobs around the city to make ends meet, receiving little response from the photos he submitted to magazines and agencies. Feeling depressed and discouraged, he stopped taking photos altogether in 2000, and sold the majority of his camera equipment on eBay. He found success instead through his background in programming, and began a new career in web design during the internet boom of the new millennium. On a whim one day in 2002, Boogie set up a website to showcase his old photos. Unexpectedly, the page took off, receiving 30,000 unique visitors in the first week.
Feeling inspired once again, he dusted off his Nikon F5 and dove back into street photography, rediscovering his love for life behind the camera. His walks often led him out of his neighborhood of Williamsburg and into the rougher, less gentrified areas of Bushwick and Bed-Stuy. Though these areas carried a reputation, coming of age in a war-torn city in Serbia was more than enough preparation for Boogie to feel at ease in areas of New York that at the time, many others perceived as dangerous. His experience photographing the unrest in his hometown helped to shape what would become his signature style: a raw, unfiltered documentation of street life and the rough underbellies of cities around the world.
Over the next three years, Boogie spent much of his time photographing life in Brooklyn’s housing projects, hanging out with gang members, dealers, and drug addicts. The photos taken during this time would become the subject matter of his first photobook It’s All Good, published by the Brooklyn-based powerHouse Books in 2006. In an interview with Vice celebrating the monograph’s 10th anniversary, Boogie reflected on how the project came to life:
“The first time I went to Bed-Stuy, just walking around, a white guy with a camera and my photo bag. I’m walking around and these guys from across the street were like, Hey, man, come over here, and we started talking. I guess it was my accent – I don’t sound like anyone they hate – and ten days later they’re like, Hey, Boogie, would you like to take some photos of us with guns? I’m like, Man, this is not happening. What the fuck? That was pretty amazing.”
Upon release, Boogie’s 136 pages of black and white photography was met with critical acclaim, receiving praise for the unflinching insider look it offered into New York’s criminal underworld. Around this same time that he was constantly surrounded by drug use and New York City gangs, Boogie was approached by Nike, who asked him to shoot for an upcoming brand campaign. This contrast of gritty personal projects intermixed with high-profile clients would begin a trend that has lasted throughout his career.
In addition to photographing world-renowned athletes including Luka Doncic for Men’s Health, Giannis Antetokounmpo for Nike Basketball, Tyshawn Jones for New Era, and Usain Bolt for Puma, Boogie has released photo tees with Altamont, filmed music videos, and exhibited his work across the globe – all while maintaining a steady schedule of zines and photobook releases.
Following the success of It’s All Good, powerHouse Books published Boogie (2007), a limited-edition collection of photography in New York. The next year, Boogie released Sao Paolo and Istanbul, the first two titles in his city series shot over the course of one week in each location, as well as Belgrade Belongs to Me, a revisitation of his photos from the war in Serbia. His more recent work includes photo books set in Moscow, Bangkok, Kingston, and Rio.
In an interview with Huck Magazine, New York-based photographer Cheryl Dunn praised his dedication and prolific work ethic: “He shoots fifteen rolls of film every day. He really lives it.”
Boogie’s constant drive to document the world was featured in Everybody Street (2013), Dunn’s debut documentary film in which she turns the lens on some of New York City’s most iconic photographers. “You feel like you become immortal, in a way,” he explained in the film, reflecting on the legacy he hopes to leave behind, and his desire to create something that will one day outlive him.
Even with the incredible amount of work he has already produced, Boogie is constantly finding forgotten photos, and rediscovering unprocessed negatives from his archives. In collaboration with Living Proof, Boogie has revisited his first decade of photography in New York City in order to present his latest book NEW YORK IS MINE / I CAME AT THE PERFECT TIME , featuring 166 pages of never-before-seen photos from a historic era for both the city and the legendary photographer’s career.
This article was written by Eden DaSilva for the release of “NEW YORK IS MINE / I CAME AT THE PERFECT TIME”, now available on the Living Proof Patreon.
