A lot of the people I photograph are visiting New York: couples on an anniversary trip, families on their first visit, friends celebrating something. A vacation photoshoot in NYC is one of the few souvenirs you will actually look at again, and it works best when it is planned around the trip rather than squeezed into it. Here is what I tell visitors before they book.
Book it early in your trip
The single best piece of advice: schedule the shoot for the first half of your stay, not your last morning. New York weather can change quickly, and if it rains on the day, an early booking leaves room to move the session to another day while you are still here. I move sessions for weather wherever I can, but I cannot move your flight.
Just avoid the day you land. A long flight, a hotel check-in and a first walk around the city is enough for one day. The day after is ideal.
Use your jet lag
If you are flying in from Europe, you will probably be wide awake at 5am for the first few days. That is a gift. A sunrise session means soft light and a city that is almost empty: the Brooklyn Bridge and DUMBO at 7am look completely different to the same spots at midday, with no tour groups in the background of every frame.
If you are coming from the West Coast or Asia, the opposite often applies, and a late afternoon session in golden hour will suit you better. Either way, you can check the golden hour times and light forecast for the week on my Book page.
Make the shoot part of the sightseeing
The best vacation sessions do not feel like a photoshoot followed by sightseeing. The session is the sightseeing, just with someone who knows where to stand. A few routes that work well:
The Brooklyn Bridge into DUMBO. Walk the bridge from Manhattan, finish on Washington Street with the Manhattan Bridge framed between the buildings, and end at the waterfront with the skyline behind you.
Central Park. Bethesda Terrace, the Mall, Bow Bridge, and out to Fifth Avenue near the Met. My guide to the best photo spots in Central Park walks through it.
The West Village. Brownstones, quiet tree-lined streets and corner cafés. Less of a postcard, more of a feeling, and a good choice if you have already done the big sights.
At the end I am happy to point you to somewhere good for coffee or lunch nearby, so you finish the session somewhere worth staying.
Where we meet
Before the session I send you an exact meeting point with a map pin, usually close to a subway station or your hotel. Travel is included anywhere in the five boroughs. Wear shoes you can walk in for an hour: the city is best seen on foot, and a good route covers more ground than you expect.
What to pack for the shoot
You are working with a suitcase, so choose clothes that travel well. Knitwear, cotton and denim survive packing far better than linen, which creases the moment you look at it. Solid colours and soft neutrals photograph better than busy patterns, and they will not date the photos. If you want a second look, one simple layer like a jacket or a scarf is enough. My guide on what to wear for a couples session goes into more detail.
Getting your photos home
Your edited photos arrive in a private online gallery, generally within 5 to 7 business days, and you can download them from anywhere in the world. If you want a few to share before you fly home, tell me when you book and I can arrange rush delivery. Prints can be ordered straight from the gallery and shipped to you.
People who have done this before put it better than I can. Maxime, visiting from Paris, wrote: "I rarely give 5 stars, but this time it's absolutely deserved." And Samantha, visiting New York: "So thankful that he was able to record our NYC trip so perfectly."
How to book
For couples, the 30-minute Mini is $300 and the 60-minute Standard is $500. For families, the Mini is $300 for 45 minutes and the Standard is $500 for 60 to 90 minutes. Send me your travel dates through the booking form, or book through my Airbnb Experiences listing if you are already planning your trip there.