Once Upon a Time on Wall Street

"Someone was going to make this shot, and I always felt we had a chance to bring the constituent parts together. We have history with ideas rooted in Scorsese’s epic film, and the fact that I once worked on Wall Street gave the project both purpose and a personal connection. The New York Stock Exchange, made of white Georgian marble, is temple-like in its grandeur.

Modelled on the Roman Pantheon, with six Corinthian columns, its facade is unmistakable. When it opened its doors in 1903, it was a landmark moment in the history of America. I needed a quiet day to shoot, which meant a Sunday. I also wanted an emphatic written reference to Wall Street in the frame. The green street signs were too high to capture clearly, and with no depth of field, any sign had to be as close to the wolf as the camera. It felt like a bridge too far.

By some extraordinary stroke of luck, when I found my position lying on the cobbled street, there in front of me was a museum plate referencing Wall Street’s history. That marginal detail made all the difference.

It was not an easy shot, but we got there, and to the best of my knowledge, we got there first."

- David Yarrow