This is a schematic map of Times Square public space in Manhattan, New York. The area bounded by the orange triangle is mostly open public space. Streets cross it, but the public space spans east to west from activated edge to activated edge. My pictures start from the star, as I walk through the space, on an autumn Saturday around mid-day. And it was cold, and blowing....
You might recall those images when - as an experiment - NY put deck chairs through Times Square. Well, now it's red tables and chairs. People put them where they want them.
tTimes Square is really a pedestrian mall - but people hang about. Snack. People watch. Pause. But a lot of coming and going happens here...
So tables are often empty, but inviting....
There are whole families here. Safe. Fun. Took me a while to work out what was happening with the Revlon billboard...
You can see how rugged up these guys are. It was cold. Really cold wind...
Slight photographic digression here... this pic and the next with the polaroid filter....
And this one....
Back to Revlon. The billboard included a video camera. Every now and then it would show the crowd - this crowd... they'd all cheer... and then it would freeze the image.....
....and display it...if you look back you will see some of these characters, like the black man with shades...the crowd becomes the show....
And that's really what Times Square is all about. People watching...places for encounters...a challenging place to manage and keep happy... but boy, it works....
A lot of fun. Very public. Lots of individuals performing. Magnetic.
And again - after the sun moves in shade, they're still there, and the tables and places to sit fill and empty, fill and empty - simple food, simple human things to do....
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