GarethC Posted May 11, 2010 Share #1 Posted May 11, 2010 Advertisement (gone after registration) I'll be going to New York in just over a week with a whack of kids in tow. I was hoping for advice on a good spot to get some skyline shots (I'll be going up the Rockefeller Centre and the Empire State Building) as well as thoughts on the Brooklyn Bridge in particular. Any of the other shots will probably just appear the way they normally do Also, thoughts on lenses? I have a CV 12/5.6 but am also happy enough to stitch so am wary about bringing this lens for a shot. Otherwise, Zeiss 18mm, 35 'Lux and maybe 90mm but not convinced about the last one, but then again........... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted May 11, 2010 Posted May 11, 2010 Hi GarethC, Take a look here M8 and NYC Advice. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
BrendanLynch Posted May 11, 2010 Share #2 Posted May 11, 2010 Top of the Rock has annoying (and reflective) glass partitions instead of a metal grid, but other than that I prefer the view from there than the Empire State Building - especially since you can see all of Central Park. Go to the uppermost level (escalator, then stairs) to have completely unobstructed views. Last time I was there I was carrying a CV 15mm, 35mm Summicron ASPH and 90mm Summarit. Used the 15 and 90 up there. The 90 was useful for relative close-ups of the Chrysler Building and Empire State Building. A 15mm shot Top of the Rock on Flickr - Photo Sharing! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mby Posted May 11, 2010 Share #3 Posted May 11, 2010 Northeast end of the Brooklyn Bridge has a nice view of the bridge and Manhattan (at least when I was there in '89)... Best, Michael Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
wstotler Posted May 11, 2010 Share #4 Posted May 11, 2010 The 12, 18, and 35 are good choices. It's a personal thing, but you're probably right to leave the 90 at home. Keep your kit light and wide. Shot with the Super-Elmar M 18mm. Want wider? Take your 12. NYC - Central Park, from Rockefeller Center on Flickr - Photo Sharing! The Thinking Room on Flickr - Photo Sharing! NYC - Blue Whale in American Museum of Natural History on Flickr - Photo Sharing! Shot with the 35mm. Rockefeller Think on Flickr - Photo Sharing! For Human Consumption on Flickr - Photo Sharing! van der Rohe Blowout on Flickr - Photo Sharing! This might also be helpful. This is a map of Manhattan with photos placed on it, each photo containing the tag "skyline" (change the tag in the URL address to change the filtering, "skyline" to "bridge" for example). When people did what they were supposed to do, they marked the location where they shot the photo from--not the location of the object in the photo: http://www.flickr.com/photos/tags/skyline/map?&fLat=40.7246&fLon=-73.9912&zl=5 You can click any of the dots to see where the photo was taken, which might help you to answer the "what can I see" location question. Cheers! Will Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
wilfredo Posted May 11, 2010 Share #5 Posted May 11, 2010 Contact Stuart, one of our moderators. Barbara & Stu's Excellent Vacations Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
elmoslate Posted May 12, 2010 Share #6 Posted May 12, 2010 Gareth, from Manhattan, walk across the Bklyn Bridge and wander around Bklyn Heights and DUMBO for some nice local shots as well as the lower Manhattan skyline. In the DUMBO area (Down Under Manhattan Bridge Overpass) you can get that iconic shot as taken for the movie "Once Upon a Time in America". While in the greatest city in the world, make sure you visit B&H Photo on West 34th Street. If they don't have it, it doesn't exist. If you have time, visit Photo Village on 26th St. & Broadway; the Leica Gallery on Broadway, just off Bleecker St. Lastly, avoid the camera shops on 5th Ave. in midtown as they are all bait and switch tourist traps. Have a great trip! Paul Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
GarethC Posted May 13, 2010 Author Share #7 Posted May 13, 2010 Advertisement (gone after registration) All brilliant replies, thanks guys. I've been browsing the Flickr photos and am revved up to go to that quintessential site under Brooklyn Bridge. Settled on the 12, 21 and 35 Lux, the Zeiss 21 arrived today and is the dinkiest 21 you'll ever see. The 18 may be saying goodbye....... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
wstotler Posted May 13, 2010 Share #8 Posted May 13, 2010 All brilliant replies, thanks guys. I've been browsing the Flickr photos and am revved up to go to that quintessential site under Brooklyn Bridge. Settled on the 12, 21 and 35 Lux, the Zeiss 21 arrived today and is the dinkiest 21 you'll ever see. The 18 may be saying goodbye....... Good for you! Have a great time--and share some shots when you get back! Cheers, Will Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
roguewave Posted May 17, 2010 Share #9 Posted May 17, 2010 Gareth, from Manhattan, walk across the Bklyn Bridge and wander around Bklyn Heights and DUMBO for some nice local shots as well as the lower Manhattan skyline. In the DUMBO area (Down Under Manhattan Bridge Overpass) you can get that iconic shot as taken for the movie "Once Upon a Time in America". While in the greatest city in the world, make sure you visit B&H Photo on West 34th Street. If they don't have it, it doesn't exist. If you have time, visit Photo Village on 26th St. & Broadway; the Leica Gallery on Broadway, just off Bleecker St. Lastly, avoid the camera shops on 5th Ave. in midtown as they are all bait and switch tourist traps. Have a great trip! Paul Couldn't disagree more. The iconic view from Dumbo in the film "Once Upon a Time in America", is of NYC at the turn of the Century. The walk across the bridge is best stopped at the first Tower. From there it's all down hill. The trek to DUMBO is long & by foot, a waste of time. Just some too expensive clothing shops in a largely residential & warehouse section of Brooklyn. I live & have live in Manhattan for most of my life. The best views are from within Manhattan itself. Yes the bridge is good idea, but Brooklyn? Give me a break. With kids, FUGGETTABOUTIT!! They will be bored to shreds in Brooklyn. Brooklyn is like a bad movie set of the Upper West Side. Spend your time in MANHATTAN. The best views are always the unexpected; seeing the Empire State building emerge from Mott or Center Street, from nowhere. The old Met Life building at night glimmering with gold over Madison Square from Broadway, or one of the finest of all, the Woollworth, looking south from SOHO on Broadway in late afternoon. If you need to go to Brooklyn, stay in your hotel room & play scrapple. The real NYC is on the streets, in the Museums & most important, in the faces of the people right next to you. Brooklyn, what's that? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
elmoslate Posted May 19, 2010 Share #10 Posted May 19, 2010 Couldn't disagree more. The iconic view from Dumbo in the film "Once Upon a Time in America", is of NYC at the turn of the Century. The walk across the bridge is best stopped at the first Tower. From there it's all down hill. The trek to DUMBO is long & by foot, a waste of time. Just some too expensive clothing shops in a largely residential & warehouse section of Brooklyn. I live & have live in Manhattan for most of my life. The best views are from within Manhattan itself. Yes the bridge is good idea, but Brooklyn? Give me a break. With kids, FUGGETTABOUTIT!! They will be bored to shreds in Brooklyn. Brooklyn is like a bad movie set of the Upper West Side. Spend your time in MANHATTAN. The best views are always the unexpected; seeing the Empire State building emerge from Mott or Center Street, from nowhere. The old Met Life building at night glimmering with gold over Madison Square from Broadway, or one of the finest of all, the Woollworth, looking south from SOHO on Broadway in late afternoon. If you need to go to Brooklyn, stay in your hotel room & play scrapple. The real NYC is on the streets, in the Museums & most important, in the faces of the people right next to you. Brooklyn, what's that? So much hatred...chill out man. I happen to have grown up on 2nd Ave. and 12th, went to a H.S. in Chelsea, before moving on to NYU. I was there from the days of John V Lindsay to Mike Bloomberg. So I am more than qualified to make MY recommendations. And it's 'fuhgeddaboudit'....trust me, I'm a New Yorker and not a poser like...nevermind. Have a nice day in Manhattan:D Btw, "scrapple" is what people in Pennsylvania Dutch country eat for breakfast. It's Centre Street and not Center Street. Woolworth and not Woollworth. Are you sure you lived most of your life in Manhattan??? Or did you mean you're from Manhattan, KS? Just yanking your chain, dude...we New Yorkers love to do that. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
wstotler Posted May 19, 2010 Share #11 Posted May 19, 2010 Btw, "scrapple" is what people in Pennsylvania Dutch country eat for breakfast. Er, it's what tourists to PA Dutch county order for breakfast. The locals eat McGriddles, like everybody else. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
roguewave Posted May 19, 2010 Share #12 Posted May 19, 2010 Never was much of a speller. I guess I never spent enough time in Brooklyn. If you grew up in the places you mentioned, it's hard to understand why you would endorse a day trip to DUMBO. Now there's an apt name. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
GarethC Posted May 28, 2010 Author Share #13 Posted May 28, 2010 This thread is getting more stressful than crossing a Manhattan street with 4 kids in tow, or is that toe, now we're moving back to the Spelling Bee Just uploaded the cards, took the most photos that I've taken in a while, quite a few stitches so we'll see how they work out. As usual with me, it's not the Empire State Building or the Statue of Liberty or Times Square that provides the most interest. It's the little pieces of life. I'll upload the link to the gallery to this thread when I eventually get round to PP 'ing them. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
wstotler Posted May 29, 2010 Share #14 Posted May 29, 2010 Cool! Interested to see what you captured. Cheers, Will Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
glenerrolrd Posted May 31, 2010 Share #15 Posted May 31, 2010 I'll be going to New York in just over a week with a whack of kids in tow. I was hoping for advice on a good spot to get some skyline shots (I'll be going up the Rockefeller Centre and the Empire State Building) as well as thoughts on the Brooklyn Bridge in particular. Any of the other shots will probably just appear the way they normally do Also, thoughts on lenses? I have a CV 12/5.6 but am also happy enough to stitch so am wary about bringing this lens for a shot. Otherwise, Zeiss 18mm, 35 'Lux and maybe 90mm but not convinced about the last one, but then again........... I ve done probably 6 trips to NYC (week each) over the last two years..just to do street shooting. There are several books that are less than $15 that show the top 50 locations to shoot in NYC with information on equipment ,time of day etc. Nothing that you could figure out but a time saver. 1. Best light IMHO is evening into night . The city is active ...you get the bright light big city feel. Early morning light in the summer is just you and the joggers. 2. You can benefit from fast glass as evening and some interior shots are spectacular. 3. I have all the lenses from the WATE up and you rarely need wider than a 28mm FOV so thats a 21mm. Thats my favorite walking around lens in NYC. The 75mm would give you a 100mm FOV and is about right on the street when you just can t get closer. My three favorite locations ...(1)Times Square at night (2) Grand Central Terminal at rush hour ...mid day is also good because of the light (3) Brooklyn Bridge ...6 30pm or 6 30am . And of course Central Park......you don t have enough time:D Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
GarethC Posted May 31, 2010 Author Share #16 Posted May 31, 2010 Interestingly, I carried a 90 for the first day and then left it in the hotel and the Zeiss 21 took most of the shots followed by the 35 Lux. Grand Central was an absolute delight to shoot in and my favourite location. We never got to Central Park, the kids had tthe sony Museum in mind. Next time................. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
gwelland Posted May 31, 2010 Share #17 Posted May 31, 2010 I confess that in the many years that I've worked in or visited Manhatten for pleasure, the very best skyline shots I've ever taken, particularly at night, have been from Hamilton Park over in Weehawken, New Jersey. There was another great sunset location but alas that's no longer an option. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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