Top Ten Photo Opportunities in New York City

New York City is a favorite place to visit in the world. Millions of people visit the City each year. There is something for everyone here, whether it be a great restaurant, an exquisite shop, a tourist attraction, or a walk through Central Park.

New York City also offers many incredible photo opportunities. Call this City one of the photographer's dream places to catch the unique photo. The photo-taking options are endless, and create a wide array of selections. You can snap a shot in Central Park of the relaxing summer foliage, or take shots of a skyscraper. Anyway you look at it, as a photographer you will be satiated once visiting New York City and taking advantage of all the shots that will be offered...

Here is my list of the top ten photo opportunities in New York City...

1. Statue of Liberty. This hot spot is great for photos. The best photos come from taking a shot from the ferry on the way to the Statue, or from Manhattan. These far away shots zoomed in can create the perfect photo of the Statue in all its picturesque beauty. Try taking a photo as the sun is setting, for a beautiful horizon with the Statue in it! This will be a lasting memory.

If you prefer, you could take a shot from atop the statue itself. You could take a picture of Manhattan from the top of the statue, or a view anywhere in the distance. You could also take a great shot of the sunset from here as well.

2. Empire State Building. Of course, this is the other high-rise attraction in New York today where everyone will want to take photos. I personally got some great shots of Manhattan from the top of this attraction. It can get windy up there, so try to have high speed film if you have a film camera. With a digital camera, try increasing the shutter speed or putting the camera on a setting to capture motion pictures.

You can also take a photo of your friends and family from the top of the skyscraper, with the skyline behind them. This will be a close up shot with you ten feet from them snapping the photo.

3. Central Park. Central Park has so many potential photo shots. One of my favorites is to take a picture from an open field-like area within the park, with trees in the near background and the New York City skyline behind that.

Other opportunities at Central Park include any of the statues or fountains, like Bethesda Fountain or The Falconer statue. I like the bronze statue of Alice from Alice in Wonderland, with the Mad Hatter and March Hare beside her. There is additionally a beautiful stone bridge in the park that photographs well. Throughout the park, you will find hidden treasures of photo opportunities just awaiting the photograher's eye.

4. St. Patrick's Cathedral. This cathedral is huge! It seats the Roman Catholic's archbishop of New York. You will find it across the street from Rockefeller Center. It has a neo-gothic style architecture and any pictures will be impressive! To capture the whole church, you may have to take the photo from a short distance or from the inside of a building across the street.

5. Times Square. I love taking photos of Times Square. Why? Because it is ever-changing. Each year you visit and take a shot, it will be different than the previous year. You can look back at the photos and say, okay, this is what the world looked like that year. I compare this shot to the shots in the TV version of HG Wells' The Time Machine. Each time he stopped the time machine, he saw the window of the dress store and saw what women's fashions looked like in that year. Times Square photos capture that moment in New York City's history.

6. Rockefeller Center Top of the Rock observation deck. Rockefeller Center is an interesting area in New York City. Here, you will find a cute ice skating rink with restaurants surrounding it. You can get pictures of yourself ice skating in this famous attraction! Then, go to the top of the observation deck in Rockefeller Center, and you'll get some fabulous shots

7. Brooklyn Bridge at night. This is the famous bridge that takes you from lower Manhattan to Brooklyn. The bridge itself opened in 1883, after 13 years of construction. The completion of the bridge was quite a feat, and a magnificent structure had been built connecting two locations in New York. Pictures of the Brooklyn bridge not only capture history, but they are also quite breathtaking. If you take the pictures at night, make sure to put your camera on a setting for night distance shots. Turn on your flash! You will need a good camera to take a night shot of the bridge- otherwise you may just get a photo that has some lights in it with nothing else distinguishable.

8. Yankee Stadium. Just walk inside Yankee Stadium and feel the power! Photos taken inside this stadium have a magical feel. It's like you are back with Babe Ruth, watching him step up to the plate. The best photos will come right during the game, when you capture someone catching a fly ball or swinging for a home run!

9. Castle Clinton Monument in Battery Park. This castle is located at the southern tip of Manhattan. The castle was first built as a fort to keep out the British in the War of 1812. Now, it has become a place for sightseers and theater goers. You will get excellent photos of the castle itself from outside, or you can take shots of the water and Statue of Liberty!

10.Various Statues throughout the City. New York City has many statues! There is one of a charging bull on Bowling Green Plaza, one of George Washington near Federal Hall, Mahatma Gandhi and Abraham Lincoln in Union Square, and a Peace Fountain at St. John Divine's Cathedral, to name a few. Each of these offers a unique shot. You can either take the shot of the statue itself, or have your friends and family pose by the statue.