foreword
There is one New York in the world, and there is only one New York.New York is a very special city in the United States. Before arriving in the United States, most of the impressions of the United States came from this skyscraper capital made of reinforced concrete.
There are so many cities where modern buildings gather, but New York has her unparalleled charm. Since the construction engineering technology in the United States has been developed enough to build hundreds of high-rise buildings in the early 20th century, the architectural styles built in different historical periods are different, with the brand of the times in each historical period. From the shape, structure, to the specific details of decoration, it is different from modern buildings.
The three public viewing platforms introduced in this article can make you truly appreciate the magnificence and unique charm of the urban forest. It is also an excellent spot for photographers.
This introduction to the New York Observation Deck comes from my personal public account BestCityscape , and I hope it will be helpful to friends who love photography. All pictures are original, welcome friends who like photography to communicate with each other.
Empire State Building
The name of the Empire State Building comes from the nickname of New York State – the Empire State, known as one of the seven wonders of modern society. 102 floors, 443 meters high, built in 1931, I have to sigh that the developed construction industry technology at that time was enough to build such a behemoth. This landmark building that the United States is proud of has been the tallest building in the world since it was built, and its records were kept for 40 years until it was surpassed by the twin towers of the World Trade Center. The original intention of building such a tall building is said to be to ground airships (at that time, airships were quite common as one of the means of transportation. It appeared in a series of “Raiders of the Lost Ark”). But the real reason was to compete with the Chrysler Building, which was being built next to it, for the number one in the world. The airship’s berth tower was flat and raised the building by 200 feet (70 meters). I don’t know if it is a hooligan. Of course, the grounding of the airship proved unreliable. It was more than 400 meters high and the wind was too strong, but it didn’t matter. Anyway, the name of the world’s tallest building had already been obtained.
Since the building was completed in the early 20th century, the details of the decoration reflect the cultural aesthetics of that era, and the whole building is a finely crafted work of art. There are countless movies about it. For example King Kong, Independence Day, Sleepless in Seattle, etc.
Location: 350 5th Ave, New York, NY 10118
ＧＰＳ：40°44’53.80″N 73°59’8.73″W
Queue time: about 1-2 hours
Recommended index: 4.5 stars
The observation deck mentioned next is actually the place where the airship was previously planned to drop off passengers and cargo. The berth tower on the 102nd floor can be used for an additional fee. But it is actually tasteless, the narrow space, separated by the stained glass, is not as good as the observation deck below.
The Empire State Building’s observation deck has some of the benefits photographers look forward to most.
Open air: You can use the telephoto lens to take big headshots of distant buildings without worrying about spoiling the details. And don’t worry about the reflection of the glass at wide-angle.
360 degrees unobstructed: Midtown Times Square, Brooklyn, Downtown World Trade Center, 34th Street, Fifth Avenue, East River, Hudson River, there are countless things to see.
There are also many disadvantages:
Tripods are not allowed, Bean Bags can be used instead. Tripods will be stored during security check.
There are too many tourists and the queue time is too long (no way, the first famous landmark in New York). Plan your trip early. Be prepared to queue for 2 hours.
The Empire State Building is not visible from the observation deck. (I can’t see myself)
Open-air attic, windy, be prepared for wind and cold. If you can’t stand it, you can hide indoors.
North-A panoramic view of the modern high-rise buildings dominated by Times Square in Midtown. Brightly lit at night, especially Times Square on 42nd Street is the most gorgeous.The shadow of the Empire State Building is cast on the dense group of buildings.The high-altitude view is suitable for shooting or post-production tilt-shift miniature effects.
East-Overlooking the entire East River and Brooklyn on the other side.Great view of the Chrysler Building. This is the tallest building in the world that was mentioned earlier, competing with the Empire State Building. With its elegant and personal appearance, it is not only a famous landmark in New York, but also a recognized art treasure in the architectural world.
South-The office buildings in Manhattan’s business and financial district in the distance, represented by the New World Trade Center. On the left is the East River separating Manhattan and Brooklyn, and on the right is the Hudson River separating Manhattan and New Jersey.
It’s also a great place to see the Flatiron Building. The Flatiron Building was one of the first skyscrapers in New York. Located at the intersection of Fifth Avenue and Broadway, it has a triangular shape according to the street, like an upright iron, and is known as one of the most recognizable landmarks in the world.
The commercial buildings next to the Flatiron Building, including the New York Life Building (the spire on the left) and the Metlife Building (the clock tower on the right).
West-In the distance is the Hudson River and New Jersey on the opposite side. Nearby you can see the bustling 34th Street and Pennsylvania Station, a transportation hub.
New World Trade Center-One World Observatory
We all remember the terrorist attacks in 2001. This historical disaster killed more than 2,000 people, destroyed the twin towers of the World Trade Center, and greatly damaged the economy and confidence of the United States. This new World Trade Center was built on the edge of the original site. It was built from 2006 to its opening in 2014, and the antenna height is 1,776 feet (541 meters) to commemorate the year of the signing of the American Declaration of Independence (1776). It is now the tallest building in the Western Hemisphere. The designer is the author of Burj Khalifa in Dubai and Willis Tower in Chicago. The perimeter is dominated by glass walls, and simple lines outline this very modern skyscraper.
Location: 285 Fulton Street, Manhattan, New York, United States 10007
ＧＰＳ：40°42’45.84″N 74° 0’47.05″W
Queue time: 30 minutes to 1 hour
Recommended index: 3 stars
New World Trade Center is located at the southernmost tip of Manhattan Island, where the Hudson River and the East River converge into the sea, and the view is extremely wide.
Since it has just opened, all the facilities in the building are brand new. The security check is strict, which is the most demanding of the observation decks I have walked through, and it is comparable to the security check procedures at the airport. Understandably sensitive to terrorist attacks.
Unobstructed 360-degree views of Downtown, Midtown, Brooklyn and New Jersey. From a photographic point of view, although the view from this viewing platform is good, the conditions are poor and it is not easy to produce films. Since the observation deck is indoors, the thick glass not only causes serious reflections, which are extremely serious in wide-angle shooting, but also makes telephoto shooting that cares about details impossible. A big challenge for serious photography enthusiasts. Fortunately, no one prevented the use of a tripod, and night scenes were at least captured.
Tips for eliminating reflections: Keep the lens as close to the glass as possible, or you can use your hand to circle it into a tube to block incoming interference light. If there is a big friend next to you, grab it and make it a light shield. 🙂 The reflections that cannot be removed can be removed later.
North-The buildings of Midtown on the north side, Times Square, the Empire State Building and the skyline are unobstructed. Handheld for shooting during the day. The best location at night was turned into a vicious commercial propaganda stand, so it was impossible to shoot.
West-To the southwest you can see Liberty mm, Immigrant Island and New Jersey Liberty Park.Office buildings along the Hudson River in New Jersey can also be seen. Goldman Sachs headquarters building, the tallest building in New Jersey.Buildings on the Hudson River and Midtown Manhattan. You can see Times Square and the Empire State Building.
South-Manhattan’s commercial and financial district, numerous skyscrapers office buildings. Wall Street is below.
East-Excellent angle to see Manhattan and Brooklyn connecting the three bridges across the East River. From left to right: Williamsburg Bridge, Manhattan Bridge, Brooklyn Bridge, Brooklyn Bridge.
Rockefeller Center
Rockefeller Center is located on Sixth Avenue and 50th Street, the core area of Manhattan. Due to its good location, it is close to several landmark areas in Midtown such as Central Park, Empire State Building, Fifth Avenue Times Square, and the observation deck (Top of the Rock). The scenery is very distinctive. And because it faces south to the Empire State Building, countless advertising films have been shot on it. If you want to shoot a very “New York” film, this viewing platform must not be missed.
Although the observation deck is not open 360 degrees, only north and south views, but these two directions are enough to appreciate the splendor of the New York City Forest. The observation deck is open-air without glass blocking. Tripods are still not allowed. However, using a bean bag to speed up the door line can still make a shocking film. There is another advantage. Since most of the tourists go to the Empire State Building, there are not many tourists here, and it takes 30 minutes to an hour to queue up to reach the top of the building.
Location: 30 Rockefeller Plaza, New York, NY 10112
ＧＰＳ：40°45’31.92″N 73°58’45.63″W
Queue time: 30 minutes to 1 hour
Recommended index: 4 stars
North-Facing north, you can have a complete view of the entire Central Park in the air.
South-The Empire State Building is surrounded by tall buildings like a big guy.Empire State Building and telescope. New World Trade Center in the distance (completed and opened in 2014).
If you can’t stand the cold wind outside, you can go indoors to rest. Looking at the building outside through the window is also a flavor.
