The Story

This is a series of images presenting New York City from the air, as photographed 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 open. As a photographer, however, I had a very concrete task to accomplish and there was no time for enjoying the spectacular views. Photographing from a helicopter is spontaneous. I took a few flights and probably never 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 was the one I had on my mind for a very long time prior to my first flight. I had a general vision, but obviously, I didn't know what the weather was going to be like. Timing and altitude were also out of my control. On the top of that, I was disappointed, because 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, when 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. Overall, I'm really proud of this photograph.

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