Capturing The New York Wall Art Collection
As an individual with a hunger for exploration and adventure, to me New York City is like a gateway to endless photographic opportunities and countless possibilities from an artist point of view. From the busy streets, cafes and eateries, to the rawness of The Big Apple’s urban aesthetic, the goal behind my collection of New York City prints always was to capture all aspects of this diverse city in all of its forms.
The breath-taking views of New York City speak for themselves; so, the real challenge is actually geared towards understanding how to capture a location on camera that has been photographed and filmed many times before with fresh eyes and a new perspective. Unfortunately, there is no one quick way that can guarantee the uniqueness of any photograph, because the chances are that someone else has already had the same idea as you in the past, but only you can create the images that you’re capable of creating and that is your addition to the world as an artist.
With that being said, capturing the following images for the New York wall art collection didn’t come down to my individual perspective of the city alone. There are always multiple characteristics at play before I begin shooting, no matter the destination. So, I’d like to share a little insight into my shooting process for a city as well renowned as New York, alongside two of my favorite places to shoot.
30 Rockefeller Plaza - To begin, I always like to have a rough idea of where I am heading on the day of a shoot, as I find that having a plan on hand enables me make the most out of the time frame that I have to capture the destination of choice.
A setting such as NYC demands knowledge of vantage points which incorporate the city’s incredible views from a height. Half of New York’s beauty can be seen from many stories above ground level. This does require a lot of leg work, but the results are undeniably worth it when you’re able to capture such an impressive setting. So, if we’re talking about all things high up in the sky, the top of a skyscraper would be the best bet for a clear view of the city below.
However, in order to capture the Empire State Building in context with the skyline alongside impressive views of Central Park, I would recommend taking a trip to the top of 30 Rockefeller Plaza. The rooftop of this well-recognized address is a pleasant spot to relax, as opposed to the Empire State Building, which is populated with a constant flow of tourists and site seers.
Once you get to the top of 30 Rockefeller Plaza, you will be greeted by views of the Empire State Building just opposite, alongside a distant view of the hustle and bustle that fills NYC below. Today, the building’s roof is ringed with a clear protective Plexiglas, which means that you will need to shoot through the glass or carefully squeeze your lens into the space that separates the large panels of glass to capture your shots.
Either way, this location tends to make for a pleasant shooting experience, I should just quickly note that tripods or other means of photography equipment are not allowed at this location without permission so, you’ll have to go free hand. This is actually something that I found out first hand. Just as the sun was beginning to set perfectly behind the buildings, I was trying to set up my tripod for Goodnight New York, but my session was of course disrupted.
The ESB Observation Deck - As I mentioned earlier, a shoot plan requires some thought so usually, I will factor in the distance between each landmark that I am hoping to visit alongside the destination of my chosen shooting locations. In certain instances, I actually find it really useful to almost create a time-line for my shooting day(s). This creates a simple schedule for me to follow when I am out shooting which is really helpful if I am not very familiar with the location.
An alternative vantage point from 30 Rockefeller Plaza, the Empire State Building Observation Deck is another must-visit location on my list of sites to shoot New York City from a height. In my opinion, and the Observation Deck is well worth the time and expense, but as I mentioned earlier, this location is rather a popular choice for its panoramic views, be cautious of its popularity. It may be best to do a little research in regards to the typical ‘busy’ times of day before setting out on your shoot. This way, you will have a rough idea of the time frames which may not be idyllic for shooting.
With that being said, even though many visitors do journey to the top of this building to capture the city below. The ESB Observation Deck in particular offers itself as an iconic location at your disposal, allowing you to capture the city’s skyline, as well as unique looking buildings such as the Flatiron Building below which would definitely make for impressive New York City prints.
However, it is very possible to avoid overly captured angels when visiting the city’s hotspots, so it is always a good idea have an open mind when shooting as this allows for your creative juices to flow.
The Empire State Building is a whopping 102-stories tall, but the first observation deck is on the 86th floor so there are opportunities for you to capture the city from lower down. It should be noted that tripods are not allowed at this shooting location either, so you'll need to use good technique if shooting at night.
So, that concludes my guide to capturing the New York wall art collection. I hope that you have found this article useful from a photography standpoint. I am actually hoping to re-visit the city within the near future to expand my collection of New York City prints.
If you’d like to keep up to date, feel free to visit my Instagram page @lukasgriffin for further examples of my photography work.
PHOTO CREDITS
All photos used within this article are courtesy of Lukas Griffin.
All images are available to purchase as prints, view all collections.
