Pelle Cass: Little West 12th Street

"This year’s edition celebrates the city’s return to spontaneity after years of pandemic-driven loss, including: Lea Michele’s boost to Broadway; the true story of the bishop who was robbed during his church service; New York City’s eager hospitality to migrants sent from Texas; the best block of pizza in New York (it’s in Williamsburg); and more. And for our cover image, we tapped Pelle Cass to photograph 72 people who embody New York right now.

But how do you get 72 New Yorkers together for one image? We invited them to meet us at a particularly New York–y street corner in the Meatpacking District (Little West 12th and Washington Streets). Cass was perched on the High Line, and he shot folks as they walked through the intersection all day: Spike Lee walked first, then dashed off to the airport. Paul Rudd was his delightful Paul Rudd self, mock-hailing a cab in the crosswalk. Ziwe charmed everyone she met. Chuck Schumer shook hands with everyone (Then he headed back to Washington and, a few hours later, voted on the marriage-equality bill.) Keith McNally came over from Pastis to walk last, and that was a wrap."

And then the rush to deadline began for Cass, who took all those real photos of people — there were 10,912 photos taken that day — and made them into one cover image for us. The final version came together less than 12 hours before it went off to press and thence to you. “It really was like putting on a wedding,” says our photo director, Jody Quon—one where every guest was famous. Afterward, Lee Pace told a staffer, “That was the most interesting thing I did all day.”