judgments

Who Do They Think They Are?

And who are they, really?

Photo: Ruvan Wijesooriya
Photo: Ruvan Wijesooriya

Every day, we put out into the world a version of how we want to be seen — and, of course, we’re always misunderstood. Each week in our “Judgments” photo project, we’re asking strangers on the streets of New York City to size each other up.

Jack D. and Jack G. (above)

GUESSES
“College students at Fordham. Probably into fashion. They seem cool, they seem fun. They’re probably studying new media and digital design. On weekends, they go out in the city, to clubs and stuff.” —Samantha, 20

“They’re in the arts. They build websites. The guy with the jacket looks like he’s sturdy, the other guy knows how to get the attention in the room. On Saturdays, I hope they’re out all day loving New York City.” —Donna, 57

“I think they’re in school. They’re studying anthropology, they dorm together. On the weekends, they do cheerleading. They kick pretty high. They’re killing it.” —Nick, 18

REALITY
Fordham students, both 19. Jack G.: “We’re gonna be roommates next year, but not right now.” Jack D.: “We never have drama. We just talk about drama.”

Jack G. (right):
“I’m kind of shy when you first meet me, and then when I get comfortable with people, I open up. When I’m older, I want to be a plastic surgeon. I’ve wanted to do that since I was a kid. I’ve shadowed with some plastic surgeons in the city before. The surgeon that did Michelle Pfeiffer’s nose, I watched him perform like three surgeries. I hang around geeky, nerdy kind of things, science and studying and that kind of thing.”

Jack D. (left):
“They got it pretty good. Going out to clubs, that’s the vibe. Getting into the city and going out at night, that’s definitely how we treat the weekend. I’m in marketing and graphic design, but there are definitely interests in [fashion].”

Jessica Boddy, Emma Grillo, and Sarah Nechamkin contributed reporting. On set production by Jean Jarvis.

Who Do They Think They Are?