Fine Art Color Cityscape Photograph by Brad Rickerby - New York City

Times Square, New York City

Photo by Brad Rickerby

How do you make a subject that has been photographed thousands of times look different, make it stand out from the crowd as unique? That is really the big question for making sales. If your image is the same as every one else's, why would an art director pick yours? The answer is in your style. You have to develop your own style. By definition, your style is unique to you. How do you do that? Just take thousands of pictures. Your style will find you along the way.

As for this image, it was taking in Times Square, New York City at night. It was pouring rain. Rather than trying to find a parking space and risk getting wet, I just held up the camera, turned off the windshield wipers and photographer through the water soaked windshield. I worked very quickly and I do not suggest that any one else try this. It was shot on film, so I have no record of the settings, but I would guess around a 35 mm lens shot at f 2.8. The shutter speed was just fast enough to add some blur, an acceptable level.

Remember, you can purchase Limited Edition Fine Art Prints of this image (and all the others too). Just contact me at brad@bradrickerby.com

Fine Art Color Cityscape Urban Photograph by Brad Rickerby - New York City

Back in the days when I was still shooting film (Velvia 50) I borrowed a 600 mm lens and went out into Times Square. I set up a tripod behind a Jersey Barrier that was stuck out in the middle of the street. That way I could make the image look as if it were created from a position in the middle of the street. I brought the aperture way down (either f 2.8 or f 4, I can't recall) and concentrated on getting one figure in focus amidst this mass of chaos. The large telephoto puts all of the people and taxis onto one plain. Combine this compression with the tiny depth of field and you have an image that suggests massive chaotic humanity in an urban setting.