In a city that never sleeps, a revolving door of artists and creatives, your creative possibilities with taking engagement pictures are endless. Yet, there are a few favorites in my mind and a photographers perspective that are truly the best spots in the urban jungle for your engagement photography sessions. Here are the top ten locations, with few honorable mentions. If you believe that there are other areas that I didn’t include please let me know below by leaving a comment below.
All Photography by NYC wedding and fashion photographer Josh Wong
1) Tribeca
What’s in the area:
Cobblestone street. Exposed bricks. The Roxy Hotel. 9 Jay Street – Staple Street Skybridge. Tribeca 360 & Tribeca Rooftop, which is an amazing wedding venue with a view of the New York City Skyline, Warehouses, Artist lofts, and michelin star restaurants. The history of Tribeca is rich and identifiable. Tribeca stands for Triangle Below Canal Street, is one of the most famous NYC neighborhoods. Yet few know its fascinating history.
Why do I like photoshoots in this area?
It generally is a hidden and forgotten area for tourists so there are fewer people around.
Honorable Mentions in the Area:
Chinatown and Little Italy
2) Meat Packing District / Chelsea
What’s in the area:
Hotels are abundant in this area. Each providing their own specials characteristics and rooftop views of NYC. The Standard Hotel, The Gansevoort Hotel, The Dream Hotel. Cobble Stone Streets. Street Art. Art Galleries, Boutique Shops, and The Highline. Brownstone homes when you head into the West Village.
Honorable Mention and Neighboring Area:
West Village
3) Lower East Side (LES)
What’s in the area:
The famous Bowery Hotel. Bond Street. Coble stone streets. Hotels are abundant in this iconic area. Each providing their own specials characteristics and rooftop views of NYC.
Honorable Mention and Neighboring Area:
Chinatown
Why do I like to take photos in this area?
The street art and grunginess of the Lower East Side can provide amazing edgier imagery. High fashion photoshoots often take place in this area.
4) Central Park, New York City
Central Park deserves a separate and solo post of it’s own on what are the best spots within Central Park. For this post however, we will just include a few highlights.
What’s in the area:
Bethesda Terrace and Bethesda Fountain. Bow Bridge. Gapstow Bridge, Conservatory Garden, The Reservoir, and the Lady’s Pavilion plus a slew of nooks and crannies. The perfect times would be in the spring where cherry blossoms are blooming and in the fall/autumn months when the leaves are changing colors.
5) Greenwich Village Washington Square Park
What’s in the area:
Washington Square Park, New York University NYU, Cobblestone streets, and lots of exposed bricks. Greenwich Village borders the West Village.
6) Lincoln Center / Lincoln Square
What’s in the area:
Lincoln Square Theater, Empire Hotel, The Mandarin Oriental Hotel, West Side of Central Park and Columbus Circle. Best known for the fountain in the center of the Lincoln Center courtyard. While crowdsgather in the area, it is best to photograph here in the evenings or at sunset.
NOTE: Permission is required ahead of time.
7) SOHO – South of Houston Street
What’s in the area:
High-end luxury boutique shops and amazing restaurants like Baltazar. Side streets and alleyways with cobble stop streets. You can photograph at any time of day.
8) Financial District (FiDi), New York City
This is the city’s buzzing financial heart, home to Wall Street and glittering skyscrapers. Sidewalks bustle during the week and, after work, young professionals fill the restaurants and bars of the South Street Seaport and pedestrian-only Stone Street.
What’s in the area:
Stone Street, NYSE, Wall St. South Street Sea Port, Battery City Gardens, The Conrad Hotel
9) Fifth Avenue, New York City
Fifth Avenue is a major thoroughfare in the borough of Manhattan in New York City and borders Central Park East. It stretches north from Washington Square Park in Greenwich Village to West 143rd Street in Harlem. It is considered one of the most expensive streets in the world.
What’s in the area:
Museums like the Met and the Guggenheim. Bergdorfs and Saks Fifth Avenue, Apple Flagship Store, The Plaza Hotel. Lots of gorgeous window lighting from the stores.
10) Flat Iron District, New York City
Named after the iconic wedge-shaped Flatiron Building, this commercial neighborhood is also home to tall apartment buildings and office high-rises. Locals and tourists frequent the hip bars, stalls at Italian food emporium Eataly and eclectic food trucks along Fifth Avenue. A focal point is Madison Square Park, known for its seasonal art installations and the long line at the original Shake Shack.
What’s in the area:
Flat Iron Building, Eataly, MSP Madison Square Park, The Edition Hotel and Shake Shack.
11) Grand Central Terminal, New York City
While the inside of this bustling commuter workday hub is considered one of the modern-day wonders of the world. The outside of the building offers magnificent architectural views.
What we missed…
The South Street Seaport
The East Side includes Carl Schultz Park and the East River. The West Side Highway includes Riverside Drive and the beautiful Riverside Park along the Hudson River. Fort Tryon Park is a hidden gem in northern Manhattan. Tutor City and the UN Building. Times Square and the Rockefeller Center. All the areas outside of the city and in the other boroughs including Brooklyn, Bronx, and Queens which will be in another post later.
Best Outdoor Engagement Photography Spots in Urban Jungle New York City
Honorable Mention:
DUMBO and Brooklyn Bridge Park
What’s in the area:
Panoramic views of the NYC skyline with backdrops of the Brooklyn Bridge and Manhattan Bridge. Cobble stone streets. Jane’s Carousal and beach access.