▁that ▁was ▁once ▁located ▁in ▁Fl at ir on ▁District . ▁Its ▁closure ▁was ▁announced ▁on ▁ 2 8 ▁January ▁ 2 0 2 0 . ▁ ▁Time ▁has ▁described ▁P DN ' s ▁annual ▁list ▁of ▁" 3 0 ▁New ▁and ▁Emer ging ▁Phot ograph ers " ▁as ▁" the ▁go - to ▁out let ▁to ▁discover ▁up - and - coming ▁photograph ers , ▁determined ▁on ▁the ▁basis ▁of ▁cre ativity , ▁vers at ility ▁and ▁distinct ive ▁vision ", ▁and ▁as ▁" a ▁career ▁turning ▁point " ▁for ▁those ▁included ▁on ▁the ▁list . ▁ ▁History ▁Origin ally ▁named ▁New ▁York ▁Ph oto ▁District ▁News , ▁P DN ▁was ▁founded ▁by ▁Carl ▁S . ▁P ugh , ▁who ▁was ▁working ▁as ▁a ▁photograph er ' s ▁assistant ▁and ▁sought ▁more ▁fre el ance ▁work . ▁He ▁in quired ▁as ▁to ▁the ▁best ▁way ▁to ▁advert ise ▁his ▁services ▁and ▁was ▁told ▁to ▁post ▁a ▁note ▁on ▁the ▁community ▁bullet in ▁bo ards ▁found ▁at ▁local ▁business es ▁frequ ented ▁by ▁professional ▁photograph ers . ▁This ▁spark ed ▁the ▁idea ▁to ▁create ▁a ▁news letter ▁for ▁the ▁loose - kn it ▁community ▁of ▁professional ▁photograph ers ▁who ▁populated ▁the ▁in exp ensive ▁lo ft ▁spaces ▁along ▁lower ▁Fif th ▁Avenue ▁( the ▁" Photo ▁District "). ▁P DN ▁was ▁owned ▁by ▁Emer ald ▁Ex pos itions ▁and ▁head qu arter ed ▁in ▁New ▁York . ▁ ▁The ▁first ▁issue ▁( May ▁ 1 9 8 0 ) ▁cost ▁$ 8 0