The Big Picture
NYC cityscapes
This assignment does not approach architecture in the traditional sense of architectural photography. That field often involves specialized techniques—such as tilt-shift lenses—and a highly technical approach to documenting buildings.
Aproaching . 7 min
Those Who Looked First
Learning with those who mastered it before us.
visit his website
visit his website
visit their website
visit his website
Pre Production
First things first
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Weather
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• Slight haze: can help separate layers of buildings.
• Storm clouds: add drama to skyline shots.
• Winter air: often produces the sharpest visibility.
• Fog: can turn skyscrapers into surreal compositions.
Best time to shoot
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Early morning: Soft light hitting the east side of Manhattan.
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Late afternoon: From Hudson River side, warm light on Midtown and Lower Manhattan.
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Sunset: Probably the best
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Blue hour: Windows start glowing and the city becomes luminous.
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Night: Best from rooftops or Brooklyn vantage points.
Suggested Equipment
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16–35mm — For dramatic wide skyline views.
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24–70mm — Essential skyline lens.
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70–200mm — Details and single buildings
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Tripod (optional) — Helpful at night.
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ND filter — Useful when shooting across the river.
Production
Shoot first, edit maybe
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Get High
Shooting from rooftops
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1. Top of the Rock - Rockfeller Center
Many photographers consider this the best observation deck in New York.
Why? Because it offers the most iconic skyline composition: the Empire State Building standing in front of Midtown. This is one of the most balanced skyline compositions in New York.
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Tickets can be purchased through the official Rockefeller Center website.
Choose a time slot about 60–90 minutes before sunset
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2. SUMMIT - One Vanderbilt
SUMMIT produces more experimental images.
Mirrored floors and reflective walls create unusual compositions where, it's more interest as an experience than as a observation deck. Usually very crowded, the glass walls interfere with clean skyline photos, reflections from mirrors and windows complicate compositions. Bring or find a character to photograph for portraits with the skyline, SUMMIT becomes more interesting. Wonderfull view of the Crysler Building.
Tickets are sold through the official SUMMIT website.
Buy the standard SUMMIT Experience ticket
SUMMIT is extremely popular, so sunset slots sell out quickly, especially in spring and summer.
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Important for photographers
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The experience moves visitors through several rooms.
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You cannot freely wander back and forth between levels.
So take your time in each room and look carefully before moving forward.​​
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Tickets can be purchased through the official Rockefeller Center website.
Choose a time slot about 60–90 minutes before sunset
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3. One World Observatory - One World Trade Center
Located at the top of One World Trade Center, this observation deck offers the highest view in Manhattan.
From here you see the entire geography of New York Harbor, both rivers and the Statue of Liberty. If the dates and lunar cycle align, consider photographing the full moon rising from here.
• Check the moonrise time in advance
• Arrive early and position yourself facing the horizon
• Use a longer lens (70–200mm works well)​​
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Tickets are available through the official One World Observatory website.
Choose a time slot about 60–90 minutes before sunset
Purchase the Standard Admission ticket
Take me to the River
Photographing from the Circle Line Ferry
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Photograph Manhattan from the water aboard a cruise from Circle Line Sightseeing Cruises departing from Circle Line Pier 83.
Start by choosing the Landmarks Cruise, which lasts about 1 hour and 30 minutes and covers the most photogenic section of the skyline.
For the best light, book a late afternoon departure, so the cruise overlaps with golden hour and sunset.​
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Tickets can be purchased through the official Circleline website.
Practical tips:
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Buy the ticket that gives access to the open upper deck. It’s more expensive, but it gives you priority boarding and best vantage point
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Stay on the left side of the boat on the outbound leg
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Move to the right side on the return
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Be ready to change lenses frequently — from 24mm to 200mm
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Although the movement feels slow, the boat actually moves faster than it seems, so photographic moments pass quickly
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1. Departure — Hudson River
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Little Island
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Empire State Building
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2. Midtown from the Hudson
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The Empire State Building rising above the skyline
3. Lower Manhattan Appears
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The Financial District rising above the skyline
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4. Entering the East River
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Lower Manhattan rising behind the bridges
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Ferries and water traffic crossing the frame
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5. Brooklyn Bridge
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Repeating steel beams
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Manhattan skyline visible through the structure
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6. Manhattan Bridge
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The stone towers rising above the boat
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Cables radiating toward the sky
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Manhattan framed between the arches
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7. Brooklyn and Williamsburg Waterfront
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This stretch often produces beautiful sunset light across the river.
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8. Return to the Harbor — Statue of Liberty
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The statue of course
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Lower Manhattan in the distance
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Boats crossing the water
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9. Return Toward Midtown
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Glowing office windows
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Silhouettes of skyscrapers
The Other Shore
Photographing Manhattan from Brooklyn
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Sometimes the best way to photograph Manhattan is simply to step away from it.
From Brooklyn, the skyline reorganizes itself. Buildings separate from each other, the river creates breathing space, and the city becomes easier to read as a composition.
Transmitter Park in Greenpoint is one of the quietest and most elegant vantage points to photograph Midtown from a distance.
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1. Transmitter Park
Transmitter Park offers a clean and balanced perspective of Manhattan.
Look for:
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Midtown skyline across the river
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The Empire State Building anchoring the horizon​
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2. Domino Park
Domino Park mixes skyline views with remnants of Brooklyn’s industrial past.
Look for:
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Industrial structures from the old Domino Sugar refinery
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Smokestacks and metal frameworks creating foreground layers
3. Brooklyn Bridge Park
Brooklyn Bridge Park offers one of the most dramatic views of Lower Manhattan.
Look for:
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One World Trade Center dominating the skyline
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Brooklyn Bridge entering the frame
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Lets get to the image . 8 min
We’ll break down a selection of photographs from this assignment — how they were made, the decisions behind each frame, and why certain choices mattered more than others.
Post Production
That really matters
Editing
Editing as direction . 6 min
This video explores how different editing choices can shift meaning, narrative, and authorship.
Color Grading
From Capture to Final . 12 min
A practical walkthrough of turning raw files into finished images.
COLOR PRESETS
Publishing
Show time. If the work stays on a hard drive, it’s not finished.
Photobook
For this assignment, consider presenting the series as a set of large framed prints installed in a domestic interior — like a contemporary kitchen or dining room.
After Hours
Enjoy the ride
Bars and Restaurants
One of the oldest taverns in New York, famous for being the place where George Washington said farewell to his officers after the Revolutionary War. Low ceilings, wooden beams, and a deeply historic atmosphere make it a perfect ending for a day exploring the city’s layers of history.
Located inside the spectacular The Beekman, A Thompson Hotel, this restaurant sits beneath one of the most beautiful interiors in Lower Manhattan. The nine-story Victorian atrium, with its cast-iron balconies and glass ceiling, is worth the visit alone.
A legendary Irish-style bar famous for its cocktails and warm atmosphere. Perfect for a drink after walking through the Financial District.
One of the oldest taverns in New York, famous for being the place where George Washington said farewell to his officers after the Revolutionary War. Low ceilings, wooden beams, and a deeply historic atmosphere make it a perfect ending for a day exploring the city’s layers of history.
