The Story

This series of original photographs presents New York City from the air, as captured from a helicopter. It was an exceptional experience itself to fly above the greatest city in the world, approaching its landmarks at high altitudes while sitting in the aircraft with the door removed. As a photographer, however, I had a very particular task to accomplish and there was no time for enjoying the spectacular views. Photographing from a helicopter is especially dynamic and spontaneous. I took a few flights and probably hardly ever have I shot anything I had actually planned before. Up in the air everything happens incredibly quickly. This requires focus, making instant decisions and controlling camera parameters, as the light changes along with perspective and the setting sun.

This particular capture I had on my mind for a very long time prior to my first flight. Inspired by the images I had seen before, I took the flight actually just to capture this exact view. Despite having a general vision, I obviously couldn't predict the weather conditions. Timing and altitude were also out of my control. On the top of that, the flight was scheduled for sunset (and when I'm planning on something, I want it to be exactly this way), but our takeoff was slightly delayed. As a result, we found ourselves above the park, after the sun had already set. As a consequence, less light was available, which made the job much harder. Anyway, my disappointment vanished during the editing process, when it turned out that ultimately the delay worked for my advantage. The light was better balanced, soft, and the colors in the sky turned out fabulous, after I brought them to life.

You may encounter some of my aerial photographs amongst Microsoft Windows wallpapers, in Forbes Magazine and in commercial campaigns all over the world. Printed artworks are in possession of private collectors in the United States, the United Kingdom and Poland.

Location: New York