This Day In History, 1989

Today is only the second time I've been in the New York City area on Thanksgiving since I made this picture on Thanksgiving Day in 1989. The last time was on Thanksgiving Day in 2003, a brutally cold one which I spent atop One Times Square making pictures of the parade (not posted here today, maybe next year) and, of course, today, a rainy day I wouldn't dream of spending out of doors.

In fact, Thanksgiving Day 1989 was also a brutally cold one. I'd been out shooting since maybe 4:00 AM with my friend Jimmy Winstead and when we got to the spot where this was made, on Columbus Circle, we had to stand there for hours and hours in the cold to hold this primo vantage point. Of course we took turns running for coffee and such to keep warm. Then we took turns running to use the hotel men's room because we'd taken turns running for coffee. ;-)

It was well worth it, though. This image became a classic in my collection, being published numerous times. I think my favourite usage was the double-page spread at left in Better Homes & Gardens magazine to illustrate the story, "Miracle On 34th Street."