Going to New York

[gliderbee]

Hi Everyone,

I'll be leaving for New York (with my wife, of course :-)) next Tuesday, January 13th, to stay for a week (leaving January 21st). We'll stay in center Manhattan, 50th street, and plan to walk quite a bit and do a lot of sightseeing (first time in NY).

I'll be taking a small digital, but I would like to know if it's worth the trouble taking a 4x5 camera ? I have a Shen-Hao PTB, very light, and I can get everything in a Lowepro rucksack (with 90mm and 150mm; should I take a 75mm and/or 205mm ?), tripod, about 10 filmholders, lightmeter and some filters and small stuff.

Thanks for any advice,
Stefan.

[angusparker]

Hi Everyone,

I'll be leaving for New York (with my wife, of course :-)) next Tuesday, January 13th, to stay for a week (leaving January 21st). We'll stay in center Manhattan, 50th street, and plan to walk quite a bit and do a lot of sightseeing (first time in NY).

I'll be taking a small digital, but I would like to know if it's worth the trouble taking a 4x5 camera ? I have a Shen-Hao PTB, very light, and I can get everything in a Lowepro rucksack (with 90mm and 150mm; should I take a 75mm and/or 205mm ?), tripod, about 10 filmholders, lightmeter and some filters and small stuff.

Thanks for any advice,
Stefan.

Although I haven't shot LF in NYC, I have lived there. There are many areas that are like canyons with high buildings on both sides and little space to move from a visual perspective, so your 75mm might be useful. Central Park has numerous features that would be good for a more normal lens like small buildings, statues, lakes, bridges and you can have space to compose, not like on a busy sidewalk.

[koh303]

Be aware that opening a tripod in NYC (especially in any public access building) requires a special permit. Otherwise, you should have fun in the dirtiest city in recent memory, but that has a police force that is the tenth largest standing army in the world :).

One more thing - the MET museum is FREE, even though they make it sound like you HAVE to pay to get in. It is a suggestion, and you should take full advantage of the great shows they always have on.

[Bob Mann]

Take the digital, leave the 4x5, you will enjoy your visit a lot more. NY is too large to be hauling large format gear without a definite "plan" - in my opinion.

[Toyon]

Suggest a medium format system and 400 speed film. There are too many opportunities to be harassed by NYC's huge anti-terrorism department cops. Use, handheld, they will probably be less suspicious. Just don't photograph bridges, modes of transportation or anything related to government.

[Scott Davis]

Second the emotion of leaving large format at home, especially on your first visit to NY. It is overwhelming your first time there (unless you call Hong Kong home). As previously mentioned, large format is what you bring when you have a specific photographic agenda in mind, and know where to go to find what you're looking for. Sidewalk+tripod=recipe for disaster. Definitely go for medium format loaded up with 400-speed film (New York and Tri-X are a classic combination).

[Greg Miller]

Be aware that opening a tripod in NYC (especially in any public access building) requires a special permit.

This is not correct. Using a tripod in NYC is allowed and does not require a permit. There are some common sense rules against setting up a tripod and blocking traffic (auto or pedestrian). Some venues will have their own restrictions. Using strobes requires a permit. But in general using a tripod in NYC is allowed with no permit.

[Peter Lewin]

My own experience includes several of the prior posts. I have used my tripod and 4x5 in Central Park, and on city streets without problem. I have also been told around Battery Park that I could not use the tripod, even though these were public streets as well. So it seems to depend on location, and possibly on the knowledge of local police (i.e. they sometimes say things are forbidden even if they are not, but unless one has the written statute in hand, it is a losing argument). My overall opinion agrees with those who suggest that NYC has so many things to see and do that a digital camera is simply more convenient; to use a view camera you would have to block out time, and have an idea of where you want to take pictures, while the digital allows for freedom of movement and spontaneity. Also, if you are caught in a cold spell as we are right now (today's high was around 20F/-7C), the methodical approach of a tripod-mounted view camera may be rather unpleasant.

[Andrew Plume]

Yes, a decent medium format set up is clearly the way to go

and do not miss The High Line:

http://www.thehighline.org/visit

this should give you a different phootgraphic experience etc etc

regards
andrew

[Larry Kellogg]

I think large format will not be much fun at this time because of the cold weather, as Peter mentioned. Will your wife tolerate standing around in the cold? I know mine will not.

Sidewalks can get crowded and people will walk over, under, and around you while you're trying to use a tripod. New Yorkers can be pushy, especially when you're impeding their path and it's cold. This has been my experience while shooting 5x7 on the street. I've never been hassled while shooting large format in Central Park, although I've gotten a lot of questions from people.

Greg, I'm glad to hear that using a tripod is allowed in New York without a permit. I think the regulations extend to film crews more than anything, and not individual shooters. Sorry to go off topic, but are you teaching another class soon? Maybe I'll take a class from you when the weather warms up. ;-)

[Louie Powell]

I live a couple of hours away from NYC, and get there once or twice each year.

First - ignore all of the trash talk about being hassled for being a photographer. That may have happened occasionally in the past, but the NYC police have very clear instructions about not bothering people just because they are photographing something. I believe a copy of the photography directive was posted on this board several years ago. However, be aware that NYC is very crowded and very busy, and you WILL be hassled if you are impeding the flow of traffic - either vehicular or pedestrian.

Second - I have used a 4x5 in Boston and San Francisco, but never in New York. And my experience with 4x5 in Boston and San Francisco reinforces my opinion that if you don't actually live in the city and have NOT done extensive exploring to identify suitable subjects, a 4x5 camera is more of a frustration. You end up schlepping a heavy camera for days, and at the end of the process, you really don't have a lot to show for the effort. And in NYC, you will be relying on public transportation exclusively - I can't even begin to imagine how miserable the subway would be at rush hour with a heavy camera bag on your back. So if you have limited time and you want to see and do as much as possible, leave the 4x5 at home and stay with the digital.

Third, this is the heart of winter, and NYC can be really cold. And something the tourist agencies won't tell you is that the wind funneling between buildings can be ferocious, making the cold even worse. You will need to dress appropriately, and if you aren't accustomed to cold weather, you will want to be indoors as much as possible. That situation isn't conducive to LF photography.

So my advice is stay with handheld digital, play tourist, visit all the famous photography stores, hit the galleries, enjoy the fabulous food, and make sure your wife has a good time.

[Scott Davis]

I live a couple of hours away from NYC, and get there once or twice each year.

First - ignore all of the trash talk about being hassled for being a photographer. That may have happened occasionally in the past, but the NYC police have very clear instructions about not bothering people just because they are photographing something. I believe a copy of the photography directive was posted on this board several years ago. However, be aware that NYC is very crowded and very busy, and you WILL be hassled if you are impeding the flow of traffic - either vehicular or pedestrian.

Second - I have used a 4x5 in Boston and San Francisco, but never in New York. And my experience with 4x5 in Boston and San Francisco reinforces my opinion that if you don't actually live in the city and have NOT done extensive exploring to identify suitable subjects, a 4x5 camera is more of a frustration. You end up schlepping a heavy camera for days, and at the end of the process, you really don't have a lot to show for the effort. And in NYC, you will be relying on public transportation exclusively - I can't even begin to imagine how miserable the subway would be at rush hour with a heavy camera bag on your back. So if you have limited time and you want to see and do as much as possible, leave the 4x5 at home and stay with the digital.

Third, this is the heart of winter, and NYC can be really cold. And something the tourist agencies won't tell you is that the wind funneling between buildings can be ferocious, making the cold even worse. You will need to dress appropriately, and if you aren't accustomed to cold weather, you will want to be indoors as much as possible. That situation isn't conducive to LF photography.

So my advice is stay with handheld digital, play tourist, visit all the famous photography stores, hit the galleries, enjoy the fabulous food, and make sure your wife has a good time.

And with all the wind Louie mentioned, your 4x5's bellows will be turning into a sail and trying to take your camera down the street, or tip it over and smash it onto the sidewalk. At the very least you'll have vibration issues rendering your images blurry.

[gliderbee]

Ok, I'll have to be sensible: the 4x5 stays home :(, but I'll take my Fuji GA645ZI with Tmax400 (that's what I have lying around, and I will NOT be caught without a camera with film, never and nowhere :-)). The "other" one will be Fuji X-E2 with the 18-55mm, and MAYBE a Fuji X100S (not sure about that last one yet), but it's such a handy camera to have with you without fuss ...).

Thanks all for your advice !

Stefan.

[Greg Miller]

Sorry to go off topic, but are you teaching another class soon? Maybe I'll take a class from you when the weather warms up. ;-)

Hi Larry - I am leading a photo tour (https://www.cpw.org/event-registration/?ee=52) in the Catskills for the Center for Photography at Woodstock on February 28. Even though it's winter and probably cold it will still be fun. It's an all day event so I get to spend personal time with any participants who desire that.

I also hope to be teaching a 2 day landscape photography workshop at CPW this summer.

[Toyon]

I live a couple of hours away from NYC, and get there once or twice each year.

First - ignore all of the trash talk about being hassled for being a photographer. That may have happened occasionally in the past, but the NYC police have very clear instructions about not bothering people just because they are photographing something. I believe a copy of the photography directive was posted on this board several years ago. However, be aware that NYC is very crowded and very busy, and you WILL be hassled if you are impeding the flow of traffic - either vehicular or pedestrian.

Second - I have used a 4x5 in Boston and San Francisco, but never in New York. And my experience with 4x5 in Boston and San Francisco reinforces my opinion that if you don't actually live in the city and have NOT done extensive exploring to identify suitable subjects, a 4x5 camera is more of a frustration. You end up schlepping a heavy camera for days, and at the end of the process, you really don't have a lot to show for the effort. And in NYC, you will be relying on public transportation exclusivel
y - I can't even begin to imagine how miserable the subway would be at rush hour with a heavy camera bag on your back. So if you have limited time and you want to see and do as much as possible, leave the 4x5 at home and stay with the digital.

Third, this is the heart of winter, and NYC can be really cold. And something the tourist agencies won't tell you is that the wind funneling between buildings can be ferocious, making the cold even worse. You will need to dress appropriately, and if you aren't accustomed to cold weather, you will want to be indoors as much as possible. That situation isn't conducive to LF photography.

So my advice is stay with handheld digital, play tourist, visit all the famous photography stores, hit the galleries, enjoy the fabulous food, and make sure your wife has a good time.

If you are a serious photographer, forget the digital. Use a handheld film camera. Any putz can fill up an SD card with millions of bits of data, but black and white (or color) film in a handheld camera will require you to think and plan out a successful shot. In addition, you will have a real negative to work with when you return.

[Peter Lewin]

If you are a serious photographer, forget the digital. Use a handheld film camera. Any putz can fill up an SD card with millions of bits of data, but black and white (or color) film in a handheld camera will require you to think and plan out a successful shot. In addition, you will have a real negative to work with when you return.
Oh heck, as an apparently un-serious photographer who has been shooting B&W film for around half a century (and who grew up in NYC), let me present a counter-view which says certainly bring the digital - it is freeing to be able to take pictures without thinking about how many more frames are have left on the roll, or the normal film mind-set of making every shot count. NYC is full of colors and unexpected images, and with a digital you can grab those at will, and discard them equally easily if you don't think they are worth keeping. This isn't meant to argue film vs. digital, merely to present a different point of view which sees, for a vacationer trying to see lots of a new location, a definite place for a digital camera.

[koh303]

NYC is full of colors
... most of which are grey and murk :).

[Larry Kellogg]

... most of which are grey and murk :).

Yeah, shoot Tri-X, for goodness sake. New York will always be black and white to me. Watch the beginning of Woody Allen's film Manhattan, here:

http://youtu.be/uyaj2P-dSi8

[gliderbee]

I watched it and consequently packed another box of MF Tmax 400. Thanks!

Stefan

[Louie Powell]

... most of which are grey and murk :).

I wouldn't dare ask for comments about the Yankees and Red Socks.

[Roger Thoms]

A few years back I took a trip to New York and brought the 4x5, had a great time. For the trip my girlfriend bought me a Speed Graphic as she said there was no way she was going to help drag my Sinar around NY. Only setup the tripod in one place I wasn't suppose to and security was quick to let me know. Also did some handheld shooting with the speed with was a blast. Bottom line though, is bring whatever your more comfortable with and have a great time.

Btw: I was there in Jan. Bring a lot of warm clothes especially if your going to do any night photography.

Roger

[gliderbee]

What is the general attitude (if any) of people towards street photography ? Do they accept their picture being taken ? Is New York ok for street photography ?

Thanks,
Stefan.

[bob carnie]

If someone tries to sell you a bridge be careful, I fell for that one.

[bdkphoto]

What is the general attitude (if any) of people towards street photography ? Do they accept their picture being taken ? Is New York ok for street photography ?

Thanks,
Stefan.

NYC is great for working on the streets.

[paulr]

The cops are on a work slowdown right now, so I'd be less worried than ever about someone bugging you about permits. Just use common sense and don't clog any arteries.

To bring a big camera or not ... really depends on the kind of trip you want to have. I think you'll see more stuff and engage more with the world if you leave the big camera behind. It would make more sense to me if you had a specific project in mind and that was a central purpose of the trip.

[fishbulb]

My advice would be bring the Fuji GA645ZI with Tmax400 and the Fuji XE-2 with the 18-55. Skip the X100s - I took some good shots with mine in NYC but I found it too limiting, except in central park. I would have much rather had something that can go wider, for all the buildings and architecture, and zoom in general. I think next time I have to go, I'd bring my Nikon D3200 (small DSLR) with a 10-24mm (ultra-wide-angle zoom), and maybe a 55-200 zoom. So many times with the x100s (which has a fixed 23mm f/2, or ~35mm in 135 film terms), I wished I could go wider, or zoom in. Most of my favorite shots are stitched digital images where I shot 4 or 5 frames with the x100s and combined them later. There's only so much "zooming with your feet" that you can do in NYC.

Also, as others have said, NYC this time of year is FREEZING, especially when you count the wind chill. Bring clothes like you are going skiing and you'll be OK. Warm socks. Thick shoes. Thick gloves. Otherwise, you won't want to spend much time outdoors and you'll end up in the hotel or in a museum all the time.

Also, there is no line for the empire state building this time of year, but it's like being on top of Mt. Everest due to the insanely high wind. You will want every square inch of skin covered. EDIT: also I survived the cold weather by eating lots of hot soup. Check out ISE Restaurant if you like Japanese. It's at the south end of Central Park.

This guy with a tripod that I took a picture of (x100s), well, he was knifed, beaten, and then his corpse was arrested, imprisoned, beaten and knifed. Just kidding, he was outside my hotel for an hour or more with a tripod and no one seemed to mind. Just don't block traffic and you'll be fine.

127966

[paulr]

Looks like the weather will be quite mild this week.