The trip had been organised with admirable efficiency. Tables booked weeks in advance, neighbourhoods mapped, comfortable shoes quietly justified as a sensible investment.

A few days before arrival, the forecast mentioned a snowstorm. Nothing especially theatrical. In winter, the weather can change.

Hours later, it was upgraded to the most significant storm in over a decade. However, expectations remained intact.

During the storm, I kept thinking about the people arriving in New York for the first time, hoping for a trip they would never forget.

In fairness, the city delivered.

New York has always been remarkably reliable in that regard. It rarely leaves anyone without a story, even if occasionally it prefers to choose it itself.

Please Don’t Forget to Smile looks quietly at the small distance between the trip we set out to take and the one that eventually introduces itself.

Photographed on film using a Canon AE-1 and an Asahi Pentax Spotmatic F.