From Jason Jose’s post at Faith is Torment:
New series by fine art photographer Michael Massaia entitled For Xiaodan – Chinatown Tenements, which he started in 2008 but only recently found a way to print them so it appropriately complimented the series. Although the subject is modern, Massaia has managed to make the images feel like a throwback to a bygone era with his style of toning. All of the images were shot in the early morning on black and white sheet film using a 4″x5″ view camera with a severely wide angle lens. Perspective adjustments were done in camera and all the prints are split toned and tinted gelatin silver prints. He states: “Chinatown in New York City feels like the last neighborhood in Manhattan. Both the neighborhood and the tenements in the neighborhood are reminiscent of a more unhinged and romantic New York.”