St. Patrick’s Cathedral – New York, New York

I made it back to 51st as I walked south on Fifth Avenue, about 1/2 miles south of the Apple Store. In Manhattan, the rule of thumb is that 20 blocks equal a mile, and I had walked eight from 59th street.

You may recall that I was across from St. Patrick’s about four hours earlier. Before I climbed the Top of The Rock observation platform. Now, I was making my way back to the hotel.

I prefer shooting urban landscapes at night. There’s more drama, and the shadows add mystery. The night elevates ho-hum buildings and makes the great ones soar.

Atlas Statue, Rockefeller Center – New York, New York

The Atlas Statue is across the street from St. Patrick’s Cathedral, and I featured nearly identical framing from hours earlier. Look how much the night adds with dramatic uplighting and glowing architecture.

Until recently, high-quality night imagery took extra effort and skill. Now, courtesy of image stabilization, it’s a piece of cake.

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