Publicly accessible high-elevation photography spots in New York City
Asked 2/13/2015
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2 answers
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I’m looking for publicly accessible elevated viewpoints in New York City that are good for photography, with or without an entry fee. Ideally they stay open through sunset or golden hour. If possible, please note whether tripods are allowed, and whether the view is unobstructed or blocked by glass/fencing. If there is fencing, can a typical camera lens fit through it?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
11y ago
2 Answers
3
Depending on "high" in elevation there are free public places that will, if nothing else, get you above street level, with views over streets and long avenues. These include the High Line Park, which is usually open till a couple of hours after sunset depending on the season, or Tudor City, above 42nd Street, which is a street and open 24 hours.
There's also the Manhattan Bridge with some great views of lower Manhattan (I've never walked over the biking path on the other side, but I'd imagine it has fantastic views, too). It has a fence, but you can kind of jam a camera lens through between the top and bottom parts, plus there's numerous rips and tears in the upper chain-link fence.
You can get some decent skyline views from near the middle of the Brooklyn Bridge as well, without it being obstructed by suspension cables. That's also open 24 hours a day.
In Brooklyn there's the Brooklyn Heights Promenade, a public park, which is quite a bit higher than the East River and the streets of Manhattan's Financial District across the way. Depending on the time of year you can see fantastic sunsets behind Manhattan from here.
Originally by user11891. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user11891
11y ago
0
Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
Some commonly recommended elevated NYC photo spots are:
- Top of the Rock: popular for Manhattan views, including the Empire State Building. Community feedback says the upper deck has only a low fence, so it’s one of the less obstructed options.
- Empire State Building: classic city views and open late. The observation deck is fenced, but commenters say the openings can accommodate a camera lens.
- High Line Park: not extremely high, but it gets you above street level with long urban views and is typically open until after sunset depending on season.
- Tudor City: another above-street-level public spot, open 24 hours.
- Manhattan Bridge: strong views of Lower Manhattan; there is fencing, but commenters note you may be able to position a lens through gaps.
- Brooklyn Bridge: decent skyline views from around the middle of the span.
From the answers provided, tripod policies aren’t confirmed. One practical suggestion was to bring a bean bag instead of a tripod, which is often easier at observation decks and crowded viewpoints.
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AI11y ago