Exposure | Winter on the Square

A chilly trip through WSN’s archives

Pamela Jew and Sam Klein
November 26, 2018

Winter is met with chattering teeth and migration to warmer lands. But for over 40 years, WSN photographers have braved the New York winter winds in search of the quintessential winter photo. We peeled through the archives to find some of winter’s best, and though the pages didn’t encapsulate great religious diversity, we tried to curate photos here that capture New York’s past winters. Talks with Santa, the Union Square Holiday Market, Washington Square Park dusted with fresh snow — this is how we portrayed winter at NYU in the days before Instagram. (P.S. — Why don’t pink- and red-dyed poodles do conga lines with each other in the name of the holidays anymore?)

TREE-RIFIC: The lights were big and bright in Bryant Park as skaters glided in front of the park’s 51-foot spruce. The tree stood behind the New York Public Library and was a part of the park’s annual holiday festivities. (Photo by Ari Klickstein, 2008)
WINTER WONDERLAND? Frigid weather hit Washington Square Park in early December as temperatures dropped into the 20s and a light dusting of snow covered the ground during mid-afternoon. It might have been the last time the park became a winter wonderland for a while, as park renovations lasting two to three years were to start in the following months. (Photo by Alexis Johnson, 2007)
WINTER: I’M BACK
Two Villagers enjoyed the first snow of the season in Washington Square Park. (Photo by Jane C. Timm, 2007)
REGULARS GET GRINCHED: At the Union Square Market, regular vendors shiver at the scent of eggnog as Christmas vendors push them out of the prime locations. (Photo by Benjamin Norman, 2007)
BRO! BRO! BRO! Santa Claus dropped by the fraternity-sponsored Christmas party Friday. (Photo by Damaso Reyes, 1996)
OODLES OF POODLES: Irina Markova and her pink poodles perform at the Big Apple Circus Saturday night. The circus will be at Lincoln Center until Jan. 13 before continuing with its tour. (Photo by Benjamin Norman, 2007)
A DANCE EXPERIENCE: The Labab/Bartenieff Institute of Movement Studies put on “a thought-provoking dance experience” called “Changing Landscapes.” (Photo by Christine Lockerby, 2007)
GET IN-SPIRED: Aglow in the Gothic evening, Saint Patrick’s Cathedral’s twin spires dwarf the passers-by and shoppers below. (WSN File Photo, 1976)

A version of this article appeared in the Monday, Nov. 26 print edition. Email Pamela Jew and Sam Klein at [email protected].