After Beating Cancer, a Former Attorney Photographs a City's Spirit

NEW YORK - Oct. 22, 2025 - PRLog -- New York City's glittering landmarks—Times Square, Broadway, Fifth Avenue—have been photographed endlessly. Yet for artist Xiomaro, the true essence of the city lives in its unguarded moments. After surviving cancer and leaving behind a successful law career, he turned to photography to reconnect with life. His upcoming book, Street Photography of New York City: Street Haunting in the Big Apple (America Through Time, an imprint of Sutton Publishing), transforms the familiar streets of Manhattan into a vivid study of humanity's resilience, humor, and mystery.

A Fresh Look at a Legendary City

Featuring 160 color and black-and-white images, the collection captures a side of New York that tourists and even residents seldom see. Candid and unstaged, Xiomaro's photographs reveal fleeting gestures, unexpected juxtapositions, and the poetry within everyday encounters. "New York City's Broadway, Rockefeller Center, and Times Square are among the icons drawing visitors from around the world," says the artist. "But for me, the real attraction is the evocative mash-up of people who live, work, and play within its gritty streets."

From National Parks to City Streets

Known for his fine art photography commissioned by the National Park Service, Xiomaro has documented historical sites connected to George Washington, Theodore Roosevelt, and other American icons. His work has been exhibited at Harvard University, Fraunces Tavern Museum, and venues across the U.S., Europe, and China. The New York Times described his photographs as having "an unorthodox look" with a "focus on striking details," while a PBS episode referred to him as "a historian through the lens."

From Cancer to Creativity

After overcoming prostate cancer in 2005, Xiomaro transitioned out of a career as an entertainment lawyer representing recording artists. During his recovery, he found peace in the solitude of wandering with a camera. Experimenting with photography eventually led to commissions from the National Park Service. In between commissions, he honed his skills by photographing his daily encounters in Manhattan, images that now comprise his new book. The reinvention from attorney to artist was commemorated by adopting his pseudonym—"Xiomaro" (pronounced "SEE-oh-MAH-ro")—which literally means "ready for battle."

Future History, Future Life

Street Photography of New York City marks Xiomaro's latest book following Weir Farm National Historic Site (Arcadia Publishing, 2019). His new volume is part of the publisher's Photographer's America series and is available on Amazon: https://a.co/d/95u8uIp. Visit https://xiomaro.com/ for information about the artist.