Midtown Parks

Madison Square Park

Madison Square area has no shortage of great architecture. The subject in three of these photos is the original Met Life Building. Built between 1905–09, it was the tallest building in the world until the Woolworth went up in 1913.

The finale lighting makes it difficult to shoot. All of these are HDRs, and it’s still a bit garish. Same can be said of the Empire State Building in the photo of the fountain, though the clouds amplify the lighting around its top.

Bryant Park

Bryant park is at 42^nd Street and Sixth Avenue. There is some great architecture around this park as well.

First, the American Radiator Building, a Gothic-Art Deco gem in black brick with gold accents. Its base has carved allegories about turning matter into energy (which, predictably, consists of men working on radiators and such). It was the first building to use decorative floodlights to illuminate its exterior, becoming somewhat of an attraction.

Next, a modest shot of the fountain in Bryant Park.

And, the entryway of the new building on 40^th and Sixth Avenue, which, to me, feels like I’m entering a spaceship.

Rockefeller Center

This shot of 30 Rock, the tallest building in Rockefeller Center, was planned. I’d shot this years ago, but it came out a bit fuzzy. I wanted to reshoot it, and I wanted to do so with my tripod. I knew I’d be shooed away as soon as a tripod appeared, so I set it up stealthily, set up the shot on my camera, then quickly attached it to the tripod, extended its legs, and began shooting. I got a three shots off before someone was on me complaining about the tripod.

First, from base to tip. The second shot is from the inscription above the main entry—an adage that could not be more relevant for today’s political predicament. It reads, “Wisdom and knowledge shall be the stability of thy times.”