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a flare for city life

These incredible black and white photographs show the wild side of life in 1970s New York… from kids dressed as glam rock stars to men parading in their VERY TIGHT swimming trunks

Photographer Arlene Gottfried captured the very spirit of the city during that time

FOR many life will never be as good as it was in the olden days, so if you're wondering what you missed have a look at these stunning photographs.

They were taken by Arlene Gottfried in mesmerising black and white, and they show what life in 1970s New York was really like.

 A little boy dressed as a member of band Kiss for a Halloween Parade in the West Village, 1978
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A little boy dressed as a member of band Kiss for a Halloween Parade in the West Village, 1978Credit: Arlene Gottfried

The pictures are held at , New York, and detail the diverse kinds of people who populated the US city in that era. They form A Photography book, which is billed as a historical look at the constantly changing culture of the city.

From kids dressed as glam rock icons KISS for a Halloween parade to a cheeky man posing in minuscule swimming trunks behind a white-haired lady, the shots prove New Yorkers know how to enjoy life.

really manages to capture the spirit of the people in her pictures, whether that's moody men standing in a street doorway or an elderly lady showing off her skipping prowess.

 The man in this shot is called Angel and it was taken on Brighton Beach Boardwalk in 1976
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The man in this shot is called Angel and it was taken on Brighton Beach Boardwalk in 1976Credit: Arlene Gottfried
 Here we have Lloyd Steir of the Big Apple Circus, 1976
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Here we have Lloyd Steir of the Big Apple Circus, 1976Credit: Arlene Gottfried
 Pituka at Bethesda Fountain, Central Park, 1977
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Pituka at Bethesda Fountain, Central Park, 1977Credit: Arlene Gottfried

Arlene was born in Brooklyn and went to the prestigious Fashion Institute of Technology in New York.

Initially she was a photographer for an ad agency, then she started shooting for publications like The New York Times, Life and Fortune.

She's put on exhibitions all over the work, including in Paris and Washington and has released several books full of her work.

 Isabel Croft Jumping Rope, Brooklyn, 1972
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Isabel Croft Jumping Rope, Brooklyn, 1972Credit: Arlene Gottfried
 Third Avenue Shopping, in the El Barrio area of New York in 1978
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Third Avenue Shopping, in the El Barrio area of New York in 1978Credit: Arlene Gottfried

These photos were taken all over the Big Apple in the 70s and early 80s, as the fashion proves.

They are so interesting thanks to her knack for finding the most interesting, and bizarre, people around to photograph.

Making them more exciting is that these flamboyant people are captured in everyday situations, such as walking down the street or spending a day at the beach.

Arlene honed her talent for photographing people when she was little and would get her family, including her comedian sibling Gilbert Gottfried, to pose for her.

 Johnny Cintron pictured on the Lower East Side in 1980
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Johnny Cintron pictured on the Lower East Side in 1980Credit: Arlene Gottfried
 Member of the Savage Riders motorcycle club at the Puerto Rican Day Parade, 1980
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Member of the Savage Riders motorcycle club at the Puerto Rican Day Parade, 1980Credit: Arlene Gottfried
 Two men who look like teddy boys from the 1950s in a doorway in 1980
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Two men who look like teddy boys from the 1950s in a doorway in 1980Credit: Arlene Gottfried
 Men show off their flared trousers at the tourist attraction of Coney Island in 1976
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Men show off their flared trousers at the tourist attraction of Coney Island in 1976Credit: Arlene Gottfried

Her first pictures were shot at the legendary Woodstock Festival in 1969, after which she realised her talent was in spotting surprising moments and committing them to film.

We previously brought you these stunning pictures of teddy boys and girls in the 1950s taken by film director Ken Russell, as well as these images of people partying in the wild 70s club scene in New York.

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