I can’t write a post about Times Square without posting this fantastic animated GIF. I managed to track down the source for this one – it’s a segment of a beautiful video by Hang Zhang. His time lapse film brings back so many memories of the places we visited last October.
Mention Times Square to a New Yorker and you’ll almost certainly get an eyeroll in return. Times Square is one of those places that locals avoid like the plague, but it’s such an iconic part of the city that you almost have to go there once as a tourist. I’ve been a few times now, and I can’t help loving it each time.
I mean sure, pick your time. Don’t go there on New Years Eve unless you want to begin your year despising all of mankind. Watch your bag, watch out for the people in costume, and definitely don’t attempt to drive through there unless you want to be abused by drivers and pedestrians alike. If your head isn’t in the game it’s probably not a good place to be.
When we visited in October the weather was incredibly hot and humid, and we arrived at Times Square just in time for a strange looking sunset – little more than an eerie orange glow through the haze of the clouds. It cast a warm tint on everything, and when I look at these photos I remember how heavy the air was with moisture. It felt like soup, and it was raining just enough to be annoying, but not quite enough to need an umbrella.
The rain probably helped to clear away the less enthusiastic tourists, as I felt it was less chaotic than my last visit.
The people-watching here is amazing.
See more of my photography from NYC, October 2012 here:
Brooklyn
Brooklyn Bridge
Central Park
Strawberry Fields – Central Park
Giant Bubbles – Bethesda Fountain, Central Park NYC
Streets of NYC
