I was on my way back to my apartment in Kips Bay in NYC. The walk took me past Grand Central Station, so I decided to pop in and see how busy it was. Even at about 23:00 (that’s 11 pm in the evening for my American audience) there were still quite a lot of people around.
I found a spot on the staircase, used my jumper as a makeshift support, as tripods were not allowed, and stayed there for the next hour or so. I took a few initial shots, then I simply waited. When a section of the floor that was previously occupied became people-less, I would take another frame. I think I ended up with about 60 or 70 of this particular scene.
When it came to processing this shot, I blended together about 12-15 of these layers to achieve the people-free appearance you see before you. Annoyingly, there were 2 or 3 people that didn’t move in that 60+ minute period, so I had do work some potatoshop magic.
Not many shots of this place show it completely empty, so I hope my hard work paid off.
Espressoing
A few more days
A final Hi meeting
The local neighborhood bar has a quiet time between six and nine. It is a place that specializes in coffee, beer and seasonal menus. There is just enough of each for a satisfying snack and effective buzz. After the time when the laptop lids close and before the social gatherings start -- there is a sort of twilight*. Often this time is a fugitive ground rife with creative inspiration and meditative work -- of the kind that results in personal reward.*twilight may refer to civil, nautical or astronomical variety depending on your social or terrestrial condition
A man positions his mouse on the edge of his browser window. He clicks, holds and drags the viewport first left then right. The content of a video game promo micro site responds and adapts to the available space. To the man, this is more delightful than the game itself.
A man laboriously moves his piano down three levels onto the subway platform. Classic vocals and strided chords -- he played so well I swore he was blind. Oblivious to the heat on that August stage, he was most in touch with his audience -- whom he elevated with his music.
A woman should do exactly as she pleases no matter what a man may think.
As the Dalai Lama once said, "It is a time when there is much in the window, but nothing in the room."
"No one understands me," she said. Her grandmother was silent for a minute. It seemed she was searching for an answer in the star speckled sky. "But no one understands anyone in this world, darling. We are all unique. It is what gives us a sense of wonder."