Aerial Photographer Captures Unique Perspective of New York City

Optical distortions make the city appear like a world unto its own.

July 6, 2017 5:00 am
New York City Aerial photo
(Lensaloft/Caters)

These incredible, mind-bending aerial images offer a completely different way to view the landscape of New York City life.

Shot from above, some of the distorted images make the Big Apple appear like a planet, while others, photographed directly downward, see skyscrapers look like something out of an abstract artwork.

New York City Aerial photo
(Lensaloft/Caters)
Caters News Agency

In all of the works, the bright lights of New York glitter across the skyline, making its skyscrapers and life below pop.

The unique photography series was captured by Andrew Griffiths, 40, who has been working as an aerial photographer for the past 16 years.

Andrew spent six months preparing for his New York project before spending an additional five days walking some 30 miles around the city.

New York City Aerial photo
(Lensaloft/Caters)
Caters News Agency

The photographer, from Melbourne, Australia, said: “This really helped to give me an appreciation for the amazing architecture and inspiring vibrancy of New York City life.

“What amazed me most were the people and the clockwork-like efficiency in which the city functions.

New York City Aerial photo
(Lensaloft/Caters)
Caters News Agency

“I now see New York as a beautiful, living, breathing creature, full of diversity and flavored by millions of individual life stories.

“It was this depth of culture that shaped my approach to the aerials and made capturing New York so unique and special for me.”

Andrew photographed the city in May 2017, and to shoot the likes of his planet-shaped works, the photographer used a specially-designed camera setup he calls “The Beast.”

The series required Andrew and his crew to fly over key locations around the city and have Andrew lean out as far as possible to photograph the city life below.

New York City Aerial photo
(Lensaloft/Caters)

Challenges faced when shooting such works included high winds and New York’s crowded airspace, Andrew said.

The photographer hopes to return to the city at a later date to shoot more breathtaking images in similar styles.

Andrew said: “Since May I’ve been working on new gear that I think will take my work in New York to a whole new level.

“There’s an overwhelming gravitational pull that centers around New York and I’m really looking forward to coming back.”

New York City Aerial photo
(Lensaloft/Caters)
Caters News Agency
New York City Aerial photo
(Lensaloft/Caters)
Caters News Agency
New York City Aerial photo
(Lensaloft/Caters)
Caters News Agency
New York City Aerial photo
(Lensaloft/Caters)
Caters News Agency

 

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