In a bustling city like New York, it is easy to get caught up in your own life and not take a moment to “stop and smell the roses”, but Brandon Stanton has made a career out of doing just that.

After losing his job as a Chicago bond trader, Stanton decided to use his free time to turn a beloved hobby he loved into a lifelong career. At age 26, Stanton set out in various major cities of America including Chicago, New Orleans, and Philadelphia to capture photos that represented the unique aspects of each city. His photography career began with photos of each city’s respective landmarks and, later, their inhabitants.

When his work brought him to New York City, he began to make a photo album entitled “Humans of New York” on his Facebook profile. At first, Stanton thought this would simply be an album representing the various neighborhoods of New York; however, his photos became so popular, he moved them onto their own Humans of New York Facebook page, Tumblr page and blog. Over time, his blog accumulated over 4 million subscribers.

Soon enough, Stanton published a New York Times best-selling book of his work.

Today, Stanton is still taking pictures and being the voice of the people he meets on the streets of New York. Check out Stanton’s popular website or his Instagram.

But how about the Humans of SMCHS?  It is easy to get caught in the sea of white and blue polos and not take a moment to appreciate the unique, talented people that make up our school. So, let’s meet some of the “Humans of SM” that make us proud to be Eagles.