Sailor, Times Square, New York City 1951 - 1953

Louis Stettner made this photograph of a sailor in Times Square, New York City, using of course, a camera. It’s fascinating how Stettner captures the quiet solitude amidst the chaos of Times Square. The sailor is framed by the greasy spoon window, a barrier that somehow amplifies his isolation. The monochrome palette gives the scene a timeless, almost dreamlike quality. I find my eye is drawn to the condensation on the glass, a blurring of the real and the imagined that seems so poignant. It’s like the whole world is breathing, fogging up, just for this moment. The composition echoes the work of Walker Evans, but with a more intimate feel. Stettner invites us to contemplate the fleeting moments of urban life, the quiet dramas playing out behind the city's vibrant facade. Like all great photographs, it's a question that has no simple answer.