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 fast. This requires focus, making instant decisions and controlling camera parameters, as the light changes along with perspective and the setting sun.

The "Setting with the Sun" is my favorite and perhaps most successful photograph I took during that flight in January, 2020, soon before leaving America for good. The weather was just fine, nothing extraordinary, but for the first time we managed to actually take off as planned, which allowed me to capture Manhattan exactly at sunset, as I had wished for a long time - and yet something always interrupted. What I especially value in this photograph is the crop and the light. We were already leaving Central Park and on the "way out" I took a few shots, capturing most of the essence of the city: a piece of the park, Midtown Manhattan, including many landmarks, and Downtown Manhattan, Statue of Liberty in the background. From this angle the viewer gets even an insight into the Times Square. All that in the golden aura of sunset, with the striking architecture of Manhattan below the orange sky.

I named the photograph "Setting with the Sun", because it's supposed to give the viewer the impression of descending parallelly with the setting sun.

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