When Brooklyn-based photographer Justin Bettman awoke at 4:00 in the morning to install elaborate domestic stage sets across the streets of New York, it’s unlikely he could have anticipated starting a movement. Along with set designer Gözde Eker, Bettman constructed ephemeral installations in public sites throughout Manhattan and Brooklyn, where passersby could stop for a moment and play. He titled the project #SetintheStreet.

These days, Bettman is still working with the tableaux aesthetic and with New York City as his theme, but this time, he’s staging classic city moments that could have occurred today or fifty years ago. Feature Shoot Editor-in-Chief Alison Zavos spoke to Bettman about his work, his city, and advice for up-and-coming photographers.

This video interview is generously sponsored by Squarespace, the innovative website publishing platform perfect for photographers. Squarespace makes it simple to create professional websites that are 100% customizable, making web design accessible to everyone. Complete with award-winning designs, hosting, domains, commerce, and 24/7 support.

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