I inadvertently gave a lightweight lesson on composition and framing in the first two posts of this mini-series. I showed two pictures with slight differences in framing that made a noticeable impact. For this third and final photograph from the rooftop garden, I simply wanted to share a beautiful set of facades I noticed across the street.

The black-and-white treatment looks especially handsome here, highlighting the geometry of the architecture and the texture of the foliage. Shooting from a slight angle—a happy coincidence, since I had no choice—adds a sense of depth, while the shadows accentuate the crisp architectural details. No color gets in the way.

While I love architecture, I’m not knowledgeable enough to explain precisely why I like it. I only know that the abundance of detail and variety make these buildings endlessly interesting. Their similar scale creates a harmonious streetscape. While I often think of Manhattan as a sea of gleaming modernist towers, it’s gratifying to see the remnants of a bygone era. We don’t seem to preserve enough of this in the United States.

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