"I was not prepared for the brutal cold which froze my bones and reduced me to an inexpressive drooling zombie by the end of the ride. To be fair, I was warned that it might get a bit chilly, photographing above Manhattan in the middle of winter, while strapped to the outside of an open helicopter. For the most part, I could not feel my finger tips, so was unsure when I had even made a photograph. And, there were the rolling waves of nausea, (which I would rather not elaborate on), as the helicopter banked and circled, with my eyes stuck to the back of the camera viewfinder. I relied on the statistical law of probability that if I kept photographing, at least one picture might turn out ok. I loved this one of the Empire State Building, the moment I saw it on the contact sheet. There are copious other images from different angles and points of view, but I think this has a certain magic. Perhaps someday I will go back into the darkroom to print one or two of the other negatives, but first, I need to get warm."
~ Michael Kenna
ENQUIRE ABOUT THIS WORK
Michael Kenna's words on his experience capturing the Empire State Building provide insight into the dedication and challenges photographers face "in the field", not to mention shooting from a helicopter! But it was all worth it to capture this magical view of the city that never sleeps.
For any questions or inquiries please email peter@peterfetterman.com
