Only a handful of neighborhoods in the world can claim to have as much cachet as the West Village neighborhood in NYC. Beautiful ivy-walled brownstones, home to many of New York's elite residents, flank charming cobblestone streets that remain free from traffic. Nestled between the bustling midtown and downtown regions of Manhattan, the West Village, with some of the highest property values in the world, is a residential respite many New Yorkers aspire to.
The idyllic neighborhood develops a special charm in the winter months as the warmth of tiny European cafes and candlelit restaurants spills out onto the manicured sidewalks coated in snow. It is this charm that I wanted to capture from a unique vantage point high above the buildings on a snowy Saturday night in early January.
A snowstorm had just passed and a clear sky was allowing the moonlight to illuminate the snow-covered rooftops in a sparkling white sheen. Residents, cozy in their homes, socialized behind glowing windows dotting the cityscape. 7th avenue, one of the arterial thoroughfares through the neighborhood, was abuzz with foot traffic as New Yorkers strolled into its famous shops and eateries.
I wanted to create an image that conveyed the warm, quaint energy of this winter scene and respected the neighborhood which, in many New York photographs, plays second fiddle to the adjacent imposing skylines that dwarf it. So, I set up my camera gear and prepared for a composition that placed the radiant 7th avenue directly centered. Furthermore, I planned for a very close crop to ensure that the iconic neighborhood was the sole focus and content of the image.
I then began the process of exposing the dozens of long-exposure images that make up this final VAST photo, the highest resolution fine art photo of the West Village ever created - a superlative artwork befitting an equally superlative neighborhood.
Date & Time | January 7, 2017: 10:53pm |
Location | The West Village, New York City |
Coordinates | 40.725494, -74.005367 |
Focal Length | 400mm |
Aperture | f/7.1 |
Shutter | 10 sec |
ISO | 400 |
Num of Exposures | 36 |
VAST photos are the highest resolution photos ever made.
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Our ready-to-hang canvas prints are created using a specialty printer that carefully lays pigment inks down onto archival-quality fine art canvas material. The canvas is then stretched around a 1.5-inch-deep wood support structure to provide depth and elegance. Our canvas material has a delightfully matte finish that looks spectacular in any lighting conditions while retaining maximum vibrancy and contrast. Click here to learn more.
A VAST Print™ represents the pinnacle of the photographic medium. Each print is a true photograph created specifically for you using light-sensitive paper exposed in a darkroom with the industry's highest precision exposure technique. Your print is then sealed with a shine-enhancing protective glossy coating*, adhered to a sturdy aluminum composite backing, and finished in one of two ready-to-hang formats:
*Note: a non-glossy, satin matte coating is alternatively available on request.
Due to their record-setting resolutions, VAST photos are the most versatile images ever created, with the quality necessary to look great at any size and in any project. Purchasing one of our standard royalty-free licenses provides you with the digital file at your choice of resolution and a permit to use it for most types of projects. Click here to learn more.
For a premium license that gives exclusivity, glass-related use in North America, or use in merchandise for sale, contact us.
Total Pixels | 755,602,060 px |
Width | 44,795 px |
Height | 16,868 px |
Aspect Ratio | 2.66 : 1 |
Date & Time | January 7, 2017: 10:53pm |
Location | The West Village, New York City |
Coordinates | 40.725494, -74.005367 |
Focal Length | 400mm |
Aperture | f/7.1 |
Shutter | 10 sec |
ISO | 400 |
Num of Exposures | 36 |
Here are some rough guidelines for this specific photo: