Going underground: The outlaws of New York's thriving subculture as seen by one photographer who spent years in city's underbelly

After graffiti artist Banksy argued last week that New York has lost its edge, a new book by photographer Tod Seelie is a poke in the eye to all those critics who claim the city has become too corporate and mainstream.
Bright Nights: Photographs Of Another New York compiles a decade and a half of Seelie’s adventures exploring the city’s rich underbelly of alternative and underground culture.
The New York documented by Steelie is one where people regularly climb bridges, party in railroad tunnels, and sail homemade rafts on the Hudson River.

A ruckus band perform at a squat in Alphabet City, Manhattan in 2012: A new book by photographer Tod Seelie is a poke in the eye to all those critics who claim New York City has become too corporate and mainstream

People on-board a makeshift raft sail round the southern tip of Manhattan, 2008: Bright Nights: Photographs Of Another New York compiles a decade and a half of Tod Seelie's adventures exploring the city's rich underbelly of alternative and underground culture

View of Manhattan from the top of the Williamsburg Bridge, 2011: The New York that Steelie documents is one where people climb bridges, party in railroad tunnels, and sail homemade rafts on the Hudson River

Steelie fell in love with the city and all its wild possibilities after moving from Rocky River, Ohio. Although the city he documents is a far cry from the picture postcard version on sale to tourists in Times Square. 
His New York is an underground haven for people at society’s edges, who come alive at night to party in abandoned spaces, to make music and art and noise and mess.
‘I hope what happens is when you take in all these images and the subject matter and the aesthetic and you pile them together, you get a sense of this world that's kind of swirling right underneath a lot of people’s feet in New York,’ Seelie told Slate.com.
He moved to the city to attend the Pratt Institute in 1997 and became immersed in Brooklyn’s burgeoning art and music scene.

Setting up for a secret dinner in the Freedom Tunnel, Manhattan, 2007: Steelie's New York is an underground haven for people at society's edges, who come alive at night to party in abandoned spaces

Burning car in Bushwick, Brooklyn, 2007: The city documented in Steelie's book is a far cry from the picture postcard version on sale to tourists in Times Square

Crowd dancing on a rooftop during a Fourth of July party, Bushwick, Brooklyn, 2006: The city that never sleeps is still there although if you want to find it perhaps you need to look a bit harder and travel a bit further

Although many of the DIY venues he once frequented have now closed due to rising rents, Seelie believes it remains possible to enjoy an alternative lifestyle in New York - even if you need a regular pay-cheek to help fund it.
‘Some people may think that to do some of the stuff you see in the photos you have to have no job, never work. In fact, the opposite is true.
'A lot of the people in the photos have day jobs, and this is what they do at night. It's really about what you're passionate about, what you do, what you like to make happen on your own,’ he said.
A lot of Seelie's photographs involve a high degree of risk as safety is often questionable and the police are never too far away, but for Steelie it is simply a matter of weighing risk and reward.

Callie crowd surfing during a Spank Rock show at Bodega, Bushwick, Brooklyn, 2009: Many DIY venues have closed due to rising rents, but Seelie believes it remains possible to enjoy an alternative lifestyle even if you need a pay-cheek to help fund it

Vogue dance battle at La Escuelita, Manhattan, 2012: An alternative lifestyle is still achievable says Seelie, even if most people have to work to supplement it

‘I try really hard not to get caught. It's just one aspect of life where you have to evaluate it for yourself. Maybe something's too dangerous, something's too risky, or something's just too stupid - but maybe it's totally worth it,’ he said.
Many people will view Seelie’s adventures as things they simply wouldn’t dream of doing – or perhaps are too scared to try – but it is somehow reassuring to know that somewhere out there in the night there are people crowd surfing in high heels or playing in a mutant brass band.
Seelie's photographs prove that the city that never sleeps is still there, it's just that if you want to find it you might need to look a bit harder and travel a bit further to the outer boroughs than some of those people so quick to say that New York isn’t as good as it once was.
Bright Nights: Photographs Of Another New York by Tod Seelie is available to buy now.

Seelie's book documents the photographs he has taken over the past 15 years of a very different New York to the one seen by most of its residents and visitors

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Floating on cloud nine! Rita Ora wears floral white dress and strappy heels as she arrives to host BBC Radio 1's Teen Awards

As co-host of the awards, Rita Ora looked as if she wanted her outfit to make an impact when she arrived on the red carpet on Sunday... and it certainly did that!The singing sensation's eye-catching dress resembled a fluffy white cloud as she attended BBC Radio 1's Teen Awards at Wembley Arena.
The 22-year-old looked stunning in the unusual design which she teamed with a pair of matching strappy heels.

Scroll down for full list of winners

Cloud nine: Rita Ora arrives at BBC Radio 1's Teen Awards at the Wembley Arena in London

The Radioactive singer showed off her best pout as she stood alongside Nick Grimshaw, who was also hosting the event.
Tweeting a photo of herself on stage during rehearsals, she wrote: 'It's happening wembley! #Grimita I can't wait to see all of you!!'
The blonde star kept her hair down in a loose wave while also sporting pale pink lipstick and bright red nails on her hands and feet.

#Grimita: The singer is hosting the event with DJ Nick Grimshaw

Radioactive: The star showed off her pins in the short dress and strappy sandals

  

Her unique floral dress showed off the star's slim pins and included a delicate lace hemline and racy thigh split.
While Nick, 29, looked a little more casual in a biker-style leather jacket, black jeans and matching pumps.
He did add a splash of colour with a pattered shirt, while sporting his trademark quiff in his hair.
Also tweeting ahead of the bash, he wrote: 'Rehearsals with @ritaora watch yo' back Richard & Judy #GRIMITA'.

Blonde ambition: Rita tweeted to say she was excited to see everyone at the awards

Feeling quiffy! The radio DJ looked a little more casual in a black biker-style leather jacket and patterned shirt

During the ceremony itself there were two wins for One Direction as the five-piece boy band were named Best British Group and got Best Single for Best Song Ever at the event at Wembley Arena in London.

FULL LIST OF WINNERS

Best British Group One Direction
Best Single One Direction, Best Song Ever 
Best Solo Artist Olly Murs
Breakthrough Award Union J
Best TV Show Doctor Who
Best Sports Star Andy Murray
Best Actor Maisie Williams
Best Vlogger Zoella

Fellow X-Factor contestants Olly Murs was named Best Solo Artist and boyband Union J got the Breakthrough Award while Doctor Who won Best TV Show and Andy Murray was named Best Sports Star.
Game of Thrones star Maisie Williams was named Best Actor and Zoella won the Best Vlogger award for her fashion and beauty website.
Tinie Tempah, Rizzle Kicks and Jessie J were among the performers with special guests including Taylor Swift and Little Mix handing out awards.
Awards were also handed out to three Teen Heroes, nominated by Radio 1 and Radio 2 listeners, and chosen by celebrities including Professor Green.
Among the winners, which were voted for by radio listeners, was 14-year-old Jeremiah Emmanuel who serves as Deputy Youth Mayor in Lambeth, South London, and has campaigned against youth violence.
Grimshaw said: ‘This year's Radio 1 Teen Awards was amazing. The live music was brilliant, there were some very deserving winners and being able to celebrate the incredible Teen Heroes was an honour, and all in front of a very appreciative audience. It really was Radio 1 at its best.’
Highlights from the show will be on BBC Three at 7pm on Monday.

Costume drama: The star was recently seen dressed up as a pink credit card for Halloween

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Peacocking to the max! Lady Gaga quickly discovers the perils of her outlandish feathered headgear as she struggles to fit inside a car

She's never been afraid to push the boundaries when it comes to her outlandish sense of style.
But Lady Gaga discovered the perils associated with her eccentric headgear on Tuesday night as she struggled to fit into a car due to a series of enormous feathers protruding from her crown.

The 27-year-old singer appeared to have channelled a peacock when it came to her rather interesting - and revealing - choice of outfit as she arrived to film her segment on The Graham Norton show in central London.

Now that['s what you call peacocking! Lady Gaga demonstrated her typically outlandish sense of style with a garish feathered headpiece as she stepped out in London on Tuesday night

Making a daring sartorial statement, the Applause hitmaker adorned her head with huge 5ft-high feathers that swept back from her forehead in a dramatic fashion.

But Mother Monster evidently wasn't content with leaving it there when it came to her outlandish, and flashed the flesh in a completely sheer top with only sequin tassle detail preserving her modesty.
The combination of such a high headpiece and teaming her daring top with no bra meant the pop megastar suffered a fashion fail as she attempted to get into her car.

Oops-a-daisy! But the star discovered the perils associated with her eccentric headgear on Tuesday night as she struggled to fit into a car due to a series of enormous feathers protruding from her crown

Out of this world: The 27-year-old singer appeared to have channelled a peacock when it came to her rather interesting - and revealing - choice of outfit as she arrived to film her segment on The Graham Norton Show in central London

Struggling to fit her head inside the vehicle, the New Yorker inadvertantly flashed a rather risque amount of sideboob as her skimpy top rode up to reveal all.
But Gaga could be forgiven for her sartorial faux pas, with her mind likely to be elsewhere given that her beloved puppy, Alice, had to be put down earlier in the day.
Revealing the sad news to her legion of loyal followers via her Twitter page, she wrote: 'My puppy Alice died. We had to put her down, cancer ate away at a little angel. My daddy is so sad, we all are, lost a member of our family.

The sky's the limit! Making a daring sartorial statement, the Applause hitmaker adorned her head with huge 5ft-high feathers that swept back from her forehead in a dramatic fashion

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'I love being an entertainer but it is so painful sometimes to be away from home 17 years she held on, so many memories. Nothing beats family.
'I remember her laying my bed, she knew when I was sad, or when I was sick. I should have been there. I just pray Alice found her wonderland.'
Heading back to her London hotel after her television appearance, Lady Gaga teamed her sheer top and crazy headdress with a pair of flattering high-waisted wide-leg trousers, and the same towering platform heels she was spotted in earlier in the day.

Fashion fail: The combination of such a high headpiece and teaming her daring top with no bra meant the pop megastar suffered a fashion fail as she attempted to get into her car

What a calamity! Struggling to fit her head inside the vehicle, the New Yorker inadvertantly flashed a rather risque amount of sideboob as her skimpy top rode up to reveal all

From wood shavings to sea shells and steampunk glasses - the star has worn it all during her current promotional assault on the UK before the release of new album ARTPOP.
But the star took care not to come a cropper in the teetering PVC boots she wore.

The 27-year-old wore the black PVC boots with a plaid shirt and bare legs outside the studios, while on her head she fixed a baseball cap and sunglasses.

Sad times: But Gaga could be forgiven for her sartorial faux pas, with her mind likely to be elsewhere given that her beloved puppy, Alice, had to be put down earlier in the day

Careful Gaga: The 27-year-old wore the black PVC boots with a plaid shirt and bare legs with a blue baseball cap as she confidently walked along in the super high boots

The stiletto boots were so high she put herself at risk of needing a second hip operation if she stumbled and fell.
Earlier this year she was forced to cancel a string of shows on her Born This Way tour to undergo delicate hip surgery.
Meanwhile, Lady Gaga has been named Glamour's Woman of the Year and sat down with Andy Cohen to discuss her feelings on beauty, Madonna and her own body image issues.

Born this way: Gaga underwent surgery in February, after which she cut a typically outlandish figure in a string of garish wheelchairs

When asked whether or not she considers herself to be beautiful, the star had a very self-aware response.
She said: 'Not conventionally beautiful. I've always been OK with that. I'm not a supermodel. That's not what I do. What I do is music.
'I want my fans to feel the way I do, to know that what they have to offer is just as important, more important, than what's happening on the outside. I'm confident in who I am.
'Being beautiful is not so fun when you're in a business with all men. Because it can actually get in the way.'

Bad romance with fashion: Gaga never disappoints when it comes to her outrageous dress sense

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