Bloodline: Photographer dives into the lives of Latin Kings gang members in Brooklyn

The Latin Kings are one of the largest American criminal gangs. It has, according to various estimates, from 25 to 50 thousand members living in 34 states. Photographer Nicolás Henriquez, 22, moved to New York and decided he wanted to work on a project about people living in poverty, specifically gang members.

Nicholas began to visit the poor tenements regularly and gradually gained the trust of the gang members. They let him into their lives, and the photographer managed to make a lot of intimate and telling portraits. His black-and-white images reflect the hostility of this environment, violence, paranoia and constant unrest - gang members relax only when they smoke marijuana.

Members of the Latin Kings gang got so used to the young photographer over the months that they even let him into their parties. They started calling him "Latin Kings Photographer" and "Nick Photo". Nevertheless, all this time, Nicholas was seriously worried about his safety. In the end, everything ended well, and Enriquez became much more tolerant than before.

(Total 20 photos)

Photo: Nicolas Enriquez / REX Shutterstock

Blask remained to guard the apartment, while his friends rushed to the lower floors, where a fight broke out.

Isis looks out into the yard where the police have arrived. Latin Kings - the first gang to include women, they are called "queens" there.

Smokey takes off his shirt before fighting members of a rival gang.

Smokey lights a joint. He insists that the members of his gang do not use any drugs other than weed - in order to always be combat-ready.

Teflon shows a gun, a Bible and a code of laws, without which the life of the group is unthinkable.

The gang has its own system of protection from the police and other groups: they take turns on duty at the houses and patrol the area.

Gang gathering at the headquarters in one of the abandoned houses.

Blask injured his hand with a broken bottle during a fight with another group.

Merder shows a gun he bought for $250 on the street after his friend was stabbed in the neck during a fight.

Gang members are waiting for the release of their leader Smokey from prison, where he ended up for possession of weapons and drugs.

“Living in our neighborhood is like living behind bars.”

Smokey's nephew. Smokey is waiting for him to grow up and become a member of the Latin Kings too.

B-Rad sits at home - a few days ago he was shot at, and he does not go anywhere until the bullet is pulled out.

Demetri smokes marijuana. A month ago he was released from prison, where he spent three years.

Gang members commemorate one of their fallen comrades. Death is a common occurrence in the ranks of the group.

Teflon gets ready to rap in his Brooklyn apartment. Music is an important part of the life of gang members, many of them dream of becoming famous performers.

Poppa and Teflon.

Waiting for the enemy Trinitarios grouping in the subway.

The drug trade is one of the gang's main sources of income. In the photo, a marijuana deal is being made on one of the upper floors of the house - in order to avoid the surveillance cameras that are below and near the house.

B-Rad, shot during a brawl with another gang, hides in an apartment from the police.