Manhattan Rooftops No.1

Manhattan Rooftops No.1

June 19 brought some wicked weather to New York as a violent line of summertime storms raked the area in late afternoon, flooding streets and otherwise disrupting the rush hour. But for a photographer, the visual treat came as a fiery-toned post storm sky replaced the dismal grays and torrential rain.

A rooftop patio in downtown Manhattan is flanked by two of New York’s iconic wooden water towers as after-storm skies paint the scene in vivid warm sunset tones. This is how things looked from the 17th floor Manhattan Penthouse at Fifth Avenue and 14th Street, looking downtown at half past eight.

Dinner was being served during the New York Festivals Awards Gala.* As I happened to look up, I realized the dismal gray skies and downpours with which the evening had begun had suddenly been replaced by the vivid rose tones of a fiery post-storm sunset. Needless to say, the tasty salmon had to wait a spell, as I sprinted over to one of the large south-facing windows with my camera.

"Manhattan Rooftops No.1" is the first to appear of a new series of NYC photos,
It will include photos in both color and black and white, from this and previous visits. A favorite NYC motif of mine is those distinctive rooftop water tanks whose form and detail can make NYC skylines so eye-engaging, and they will be featured in many of these new "roofscapes."

©2017 Steve Ember

* My reason for being there was some awards recognition that a montage of my PhotoMoments travel/photography podcasts had received. Appropriately enough, considering my love of NYC, three elements of the montage were devoted to shooting in the city. If you’d care to listen…
https://soundcloud.com/steve-ember/a-south-ferry-time-warp
https://soundcloud.com/steve-ember/brooklyn-never-too-late-preview-clip
https://soundcloud.com/steve-ember/flushing-out-some-7-scapes-podcasts