This photo was taken shortly before midnight from the center of Times Square where I had the good fortune to ring in the New Year.

Like most New Yorkers, if I am in town on New Year’s Eve, I typically stay home and watch the ball drop on television from the comfort of a warm couch. This year I had VIP access to the center of Times Square thanks to my brother who works in television production. Being able to step outside in the midst of the crowd (and run indoors to warm up) and get a bird’s eye view from a television studio overlooking Times Square and photograph it all is a rare opportunity.

Most people in the crowd had been standing for at least 12 hours not able to leave their spot. The energy of a million happy people is like nothing else. This year is off to a good start.