August 4, 2010

Times Square Through an Archeologist's Lens


Look | Sensory Inspiration

At function for a mutual friend I reconnected with Christopher Ratte, a high school classmate.  The archeologist and I exited the Harvard Club on 44rd street in Midtown Manhattan and were struck by the light.

Looking West No.2




Chatting and strolling, we headed uptown through Times Square.

Bright Lights

Later in the evening, I returned to photograph the tourist epicenter.

Red, Orange and Yellow






Thanks to Mark Rothko for his work with painting scale and color theory.  Between advertisements, I caught a blip of "blank" screen.

Top Down Living
Thanks to the sausage griller for smoke to shoot through.

Hailing a cab at 42nd Street and Broadway on a midsummer's night is a labor worthy of Hercules.

Taxi!



The woman's expression of grim determination broke briefly as she rebuffed a humorous come-on from a pedicab driver.

Times Square for me was about light, people watching, and wondering (a la singer Peggy Lee) "is that all there is?"

Classical Study
The following day, I saw Christopher Ratte again and asked him about viewing Times Square through an archeologist's lens.  His reply went something like this:

I noticed the grid of streets, the parks, the relationship with rivers.  The circulation system.  The grid in New York was based on maximizing the profits for real estate developers on the sales of lots.  The grids in ancient Greece were based on everyone getting the same sized lot. (Updated 8/4/10)

Two days later, he left to lead an expedition in Georgia (country).

Tech Tips: Nikon D700, 24-70mm, ISO range 500-2500.  Bright Lights is an in-camera multiple exposure.  ©2010 John Nordell

0 comments :