While photography was born in Paris, New York is undoubtedly the city where the wedding took place between the most perfect image of the city, their self-esteem, your pictures and your great newspaper.

The New York Times has chronicled almost complete photographic movement, not only in the United States, but much of the world. Now, just recommend reading the latest book by Philip Gefter, edited by Aperture: Photography after Frank . It is true that these are tests of the writer and former photo editor of the New York Times itself, mostly published in the same newspaper.

Independent of this circumstance, it is delicious analyzes and reflections, rich in information on various aspects of contemporary photography, from the groundbreaking work of Robert Frank in the '50s. The interesting question of documentary photography is a central theme in the book, divided into sections which address some of the most important current topics of inquiry: the document, the document staged, photojournalism, portraiture, the collection, the market.

The paper by Lee Friedlander, Stephen Shore, Richard Misrach, Avedon, Penn and Lorca di Corcia, for example, is shown and discussed.

This week the NYT, in an article by Ken Johnson, tells us that last winter, when the economy of art seemed especially worrisome, a group of dealers in the city got together and decided to set up a show to lift spirits. It appeared, therefore, "New York Photographs", "a tribute to the city in summer cool in the world."

Thirteen galleries mounted exhibitions, some focused on artists, in other subjects like sex or music, forming a spectacular.

Among the exhibits, you can see both the black and white '40s, as it makes more contemporary, Louis Stettner, Philip-Lorca di Coccia, Helen Levitt, Cindy Sherman, Richard Prince and Bruce Davidson, among others.

42nd Street in 1997, Philip-Lorca diCorcia, in "Glitz & Grime" at Yancey Richardson (NYTimes)

Highlight for Yossi Milo, the gallery that represents Loretta Lux, which shows Diane Arbus, Nan Goldin and Ryan Weideman, with the suggestive title "Sexy and the City". And at the opposite pole, to Laurence Miller, who has thirty unpublished extensions (proof prints) Helen Levitt, made ​​between 1939 and 1942.

At Yossi Milo, we have the kiss of Alfred Eisenstaedt, couples celebrating the end of the war in Times Square in 1945, Nan Goldin drag queen on a city street in 1990, a topless woman surrounded by a crowd in Central Park, Garry Winogrand, and gay couples in the West End Pier, by Alvin Baltrop. A beautiful celebration of diversity.

Happy is the city that is celebrated for its photographers, who are celebrated by a major newspaper that celebrates a great city, which ...

See also *** slideshow of the New York Times.

Charles Harbutt in Yossi Milo

Some recommendations of the Times:

'BILL JACOBSON: NEW YORK, "Julie Saul Gallery, 535 West 22nd Street, Chelsea, (212) 627-2410, saulgallery.com .

'FIRST proofs,' Helen Levitt, Laurence Miller Gallery, 20 West 57th Street, (212) 397-3930, laurencemiller.com .

'GLITZ & GRIME: Photographs of TIMES SQUARE,' Yancey Richardson Gallery, 535 West 22nd Street, Chelsea, (646) 230-9610, yanceyrichardson.com .

'LIVE FROM NEW YORK ..., "Bonni Benrubi Gallery, 41 East 57th Street, (212) 888-6007, bonnibenrubi.com . Through Sept. 5.

'Photographs NEW YORK ... THE STATUE OF LIBERTY,' Hasted Hunt Gallery, 529 West 20th Street, Chelsea, (212) 627-0006, hastedhunt.com .

'SEXY AND THE CITY,' Yossi Milo Gallery, 525 West 25th Street, Chelsea, (212) 414-0370, yossimilo.com