Help me plan my trip to NYC next month

[Braineack]

for an over the top burger experience: Black Tap Craft Burgers & Beer

check out those milkshakes: Instagram post by Black Tap Craft Burgers & Beer • Sep 8, 2017 at 9:06pm UTC

 

[Matt Friedman]

I'm looking for other cool places to check out. I'm also looking for some recommendations on places to take photos from, especially at night. I'd like to get up high for a night shot over the city but I understand that's hard to do. Anyone know of any spots?

Any tips for traveling through the city with a camera? Is it even worth bringing a tripod since most places don't allow them.. or should I just bring my platypod instead?

For shots of the Manhattan skyline, your best bet is to spend $2.75 and take the PATH train from World Trade Center to Jersey City. Get of at Exchange Place, and look back at the city. The night shots will be amazing and the golden hour shots will be even better.

While you're at it, you might want to poke around the Oculus mall and light rail station at World Trade (where the PATH train departs) designed by Santiago Calatrava. I'm not a fan of his architecture, but it does make for some striking images.

You might also want to take a ferry, either to Staten Island, or across the East River (from the Wall St. terminal), or across the Hudson (which you can take instead of the PATH, from Pier 11/Wall St.). That gets you out into the water, where you can actually get one of those iconic shots.

... Harder to get to is the new VIA57 residential building on the Hudson at 57th street, if you are interested in architectural photography. I shot a series of pictures of it for a client this summer, and the variety of shapes and angles is pretty amazing.

Ditch the tripod (you can use them in many places, like parks, but you need a permit for sidewalks, etc.), and get a monopod if you are worried about lens shake. There are no legal restrictions on monopods. And hell, you're going to BH, anyway. (Not my fave shop, BTW... I prefer K&W Camera in SoHo... But that's me.)

Let me know if you need pointers, info, etc.

 

[Destin]

So I think I've decided that I'm going to bite the bullet and book a helicopter photo tour over and around manhattan. You only live once, right?!

The real question: what lens do you fly with? The widest possible?

 

[Braineack]

Look at my liberty statue pics at 17mm vs 70mm. Wider isn't always great for scenery.

 

[SquarePeg]

So I think I've decided that I'm going to bite the bullet and book a helicopter photo tour over and around manhattan. You only live once, right?!

The real question: what lens do you fly with? The widest possible?

I'd go with a mid range zoom so you have options. If you have a 17-70 or similar. Can you bring a second body and lens combo?

 

[Destin]

So I think I've decided that I'm going to bite the bullet and book a helicopter photo tour over and around manhattan. You only live once, right?!

The real question: what lens do you fly with? The widest possible?

I'd go with a mid range zoom so you have options. If you have a 17-70 or similar. Can you bring a second body and lens combo?

I absolutely can. I don't want to take my sigma 17-50 2.8 because honestly I don't trust it. I have a horrible keeper rate due to inaccurate AF on if. Which sucks because my only other options are an 11-16 2.8 and 50mm 1.8.

I'd be willing to rent or borrow a lens for this though. Maybe a 24-70 for the D750, and then my 11-16 on my D500? Or do you guys think That would be too wide? Better with a 70-200?

 

[SquarePeg]

So I think I've decided that I'm going to bite the bullet and book a helicopter photo tour over and around manhattan. You only live once, right?!

The real question: what lens do you fly with? The widest possible?

I'd go with a mid range zoom so you have options. If you have a 17-70 or similar. Can you bring a second body and lens combo?

I absolutely can. I don't want to take my sigma 17-50 2.8 because honestly I don't trust it. I have a horrible keeper rate due to inaccurate AF on if. Which sucks because my only other options are an 11-16 2.8 and 50mm 1.8.

I'd be willing to rent or borrow a lens for this though. Maybe a 24-70 for the D750, and then my 11-16 on my D500? Or do you guys think That would be too wide? Better with a 70-200?

I returned the Sigma 17-50 that I bought. It was not sharp.

 

[Destin]

So I think I've decided that I'm going to bite the bullet and book a helicopter photo tour over and around manhattan. You only live once, right?!

The real question: what lens do you fly with? The widest possible?

I'd go with a mid range zoom so you have options. If you have a 17-70 or similar. Can you bring a second body and lens combo?

I absolutely can. I don't want to take my sigma 17-50 2.8 because honestly I don't trust it. I have a horrible keeper rate due to inaccurate AF on if. Which sucks because my only other options are an 11-16 2.8 and 50mm 1.8.

I'd be willing to rent or borrow a lens for this though. Maybe a 24-70 for the D750, and then my 11-16 on my D500? Or do you guys think That would be too wide? Better with a 70-200?

I returned the Sigma 17-50 that I bought. It was not sharp.

Mine was a freebie with the used D7100 I bought a while back. I've never liked it. Can't wait to replace it with a 24-70 and some more full frame glass.. but that's waiting on funding.