Behind The Lens: NYC 2018 Calendar

I’ve come to love NYC Photography. I enjoy the medium, but just like with spray paint art, when I see it I just feel inside like I want to go out and take that picture myself.

As a challenge for myself last year I created a calendar of pictures I took only with my Pentax camera (not my iPhone) and it was so much fun. I wanted to take pictures of all my favorite places, and try to get the most iconic version of that shot as I could.

Below is a commentary on each image, what happened behind the lens or what may have been the inspiration for that photo. Each of these were taken in 2017 with my Pentax and made it into the 2018 calendar.

COVER IMAGE – Freedom Tower from the Brooklyn Bridge

The Freedom Tower is an identifiable landmark from miles away, and it establishes clearly where you are. Anyone looking at the Freedom Tower (officially known as One World Trade Center) knows instantly that it’s New York. It unintentionally became the centerpiece of this calendar, and this was taken in one of the locations I wanted to include, so this picture fit well as the cover image to this 2018 NYC Calendar.

JANUARY – The Brooklyn Bridge Perspective Shot

This is one of the most iconic shots of the Brooklyn Bridge. And it’s not just taken of the bridge, this is taken on it. I had surfed Instagram hundreds of times and seen this image, and I knew I just had to have a photo I could call my own. It was a cold day outside when I took it, so it fit well for January.

FEBRUARY – The Brooklyn Bridge

This shot was taken from a park in Brooklyn between the Manhattan Bridge and the Brooklyn Bridge. I once bought a really cool printed image of this exact vantage point for $2 from a street vendor (on the ramp to the bridge), and I absolutely love it. I knew that I wanted to recreate that shot, knowing that it wasn’t somebody else’s photo but my own. It was a beautiful, clear day when I took this, and it’s a very New York picture to me. It also has the carousal in it, which is an iconic location in Brooklyn.

MARCH – View from Top of The Rock

I’ve been to the Top of the Rock countless times, and it’s never gotten old to me. It’s strangely quiet on the rooftop, and there’s nothing else that’s quite as high up as you are. I always think it’s funny how a bunch of concrete can look beautiful, but it truly is to me and this image is definitely an example of that. There’s a high level of detail in this photo from being taken on such a clear day, and you can see all of the surrounding areas (Brooklyn, Staten Island, Jersey City, Liberty Island, etc.). Midtown is also my favorite place to be in New York, and this image is Midtown front and center! To me, this picture is New York City.

APRIL – View from the Staten Island Ferry

This is my absolute favorite way to go to New York. I can park my car in municipal parking for $8, and then take the ferry for free into downtown Manhattan. This is the view you get every time you come to and from the city on the ferry. I have tons of different versions of this shot. I chose this one because it was one of the first I found how to edit with the vibrant, lively colors similar to many photographers I follow on Instagram. This is shot is another one; to me, this picture is New York City. I can say that for more than one photo, right?

MAY – View from South Cove Park, Battery City

I visited my dad and sister one afternoon in the city (after taking the Staten Island Ferry in). We walked around the 9/11 Memorial Park, got coffee at the Winter Garden Atrium, and continued to walk around the Battery Park City Esplanade that wraps around to Battery Park. The lush colors make this photo really pop, and highlight the perfect weather we had that afternoon. It was a beautiful day to be in the city, enjoying the parks with the sight of the skyscrapers still behind us. I’ve seen lots of photographs of the city with old docks in the water like this as well, so it was great to take this picture.

JUNE – Freedom Tower & Winter Garden Atrium

This perspective shot highlights just how stunning One World Trade Center is, and also captures the glass of the Winter Garden Atrium as well. I also love the reflection of the clouds and sunlight in the glass windows on the right skyscraper. It should seem obvious by now that I can’t get enough pictures of the Freedom Tower.

JULY – Battery Park City Esplanade

The beautiful green trees next to the water, with the curved benches and unending line of lampposts transports you to a secret escape from the rest of the hustle and bustle of the city right at the southern tip of Manhattan. This is actually just a little walk down from where I took the shot in South Cove Park, just facing the other direction. People were walking, jogging, and just enjoying the beautiful summer weather, which is why it made its way to the July slot.

AUGUST – Sunset at Central Park

I knew I wanted to incorporate a picture taken in Central Park, and that meant it needed to clearly show it was still in New York. This photo perfectly encapsulates everything that Central Park has to offer: the gorgeous green scenery with winding paths leading to calm watery scenes hidden all throughout the park, all the while skyscrapers surrounding you on every side. It serves as another one of the city’s escapes from the regular hustle and bustle, and is a truly spectacular place to be. The late sun captured in this photo felt right for August.

SEPTEMBER – 9/11 Memorial Pool

The entire 9/11 Memorial Park is scenic all around and is picturesque any time of year, but this photo highlights the purpose behind it all. Two memorial pools now exist where the base of two mammoth, 104-story skyscrapers once stood high. All around the pools are the names of those who passed away during this tragic event. The fact that the pool doesn’t completely fit into the picture, along with the trees and people at the foot of the Freedom Tower, show just how massive this pool is.

OCTOBER – View of Downtown from the Staten Island Ferry

Even though I already included this shot earlier in the calendar, this picture contains a completely different color palette naturally due to the time of year it was taken in, and I wanted so badly to include it. The bronze and silver tones showcase Manhattan at autumn, especially made evident by the trees at the bottom of the skyscrapers. Maybe I should make a calendar made entirely of shots taken from this vantage point, because seriously I love it so much.

NOVEMBER – The Flatiron Building

This building is naturally photogenic; any angle you’re at, it looks spectacular. It’s another favorite location of mine, and this shot is taken right outside the doors of a place my family loves to visit: Eataly. I was here in the morning and the sunlight kept darkening the picture. Determined not to leave without this incredible shot (because my time was limited), I used the clock to block the sun, and viola; I had captured perhaps the best picture of this entire set. I also love how the sunlight hits the building to the left of the Flatiron. The whole time I was there, I listened to a podcast talking about the history of the building, which was really cool to do while photographing it in 2017.

DECEMBER – Times Square at Christmas Time

This picture is so colorful and feels like you’re standing right there in Times Square. I knew that for December I wanted a picture of Times Square, as I’m there every Christmas with family and friends. The reds, blues, Coca-Cola sign, tour bus, and just everything else going on in this photo are a perfect representation of Times Square. I’ve sold spray paint art here a few times before, and on the other side of the tour bus in the lower right hand corner behind the stairs, I made $100 in fewer than 30 minutes. I also got a ticket because I wasn’t allowed to be there at that time. I was a bit nervous, but my dad thought it was a genuine New York City experience!