New York City

New York City. The Big Apple. The city that never sleeps.

It is often understood that New York City is a chaotic place that is alive and thriving both day and night. When I visited in February of 2018, this is what I first thought and hoped to see. As I hopped out of the taxi, the streets were buzzing with the classic city hum; horns being tooted, people chattering and music blasting. This carried on into the night; the restaurants were all full to the brim with happy customers. The streets were also somewhat busier than during the day. For a first-time experience to the big city, it really was living up to its many names.

Over the next few days, I visited lots of amazing sites; Central Park, One World Trade Center and the Rockefeller Center. I took my cameras everywhere with me, both polaroid and digital. I wanted to capture everything that I was seeing, to remember it all in the years to come. There were so many amazing photo opportunities, it was almost too much to take in.

One day it bright and sunny; this compared to previous days of rain. I was walking along the streets to find shops to explore and more wonderful places to see. On my walk, I took the above picture of the skyline, from the ground upwards. I didn't reflect on this picture until back in the U.K. When editing, I noticed how special it was. To me, the photo highlights New York City in a different light. Despite the constant noise and movement that you normally hear about and experience, this photograph shows the opposite. This photo is peaceful; it's calm and quiet. In face of all the chaos below, when you look at this photo, you can forget it all.

Don't get me wrong, I know New York City is loved by many because of the noise. But others may not visit or choose to live there due to the exact same reason. This snapshot made me realise that everywhere you go, you can find peace. This will be different for everyone, but you will find it in your own way. Just be patient. Sometimes you may have to look for it, but other times it'll come to you, just like this photograph did to me. Even in the busiest, craziest of places, it can be found.