And really, why wouldn’t it be? Between the bright lights of Times Square to the cobblestone streets of Soho and the artistic feel of Brooklyn there’s plenty of places worthy of a few snaps, videos, and Insta stories. But, with all those images already posted, it can be a bit hard for someone to get creative and stay original. Thankfully, some of New York’s biggest influencers are willing to help.
“New York is a photographers paradise, with such a density of cinematic scenes it’s hard to know where to begin,” Dave Krugman, a professional photographer who also happens to have more than 279,000 Instagram followers, shared with Departures. But, when pressed, Krugman would say his favorite place to photograph in the city is a timeless classic: The observation deck at the Empire State Building.
“There’s no glass to block the panoramic views of Manhattan, so you get crystal clear shots of this majestic city from every direction. It’s a great place to start because you truly see the scale of the place you’re in, and it provides a great context for when you’re walking through the streets of various neighborhoods.”
Looking to go deeper? Here are six more spots worth checking out on your next Insta-tour of New York City.
Roman and Williams Guild
“Roman and Williams—the NYC based Interior design firm that is responsible for jaw-dropping interiors at restaurants and hotels in New York and beyond—opened up their own space less than a year ago,” Patrick Janelle, the man behind the wildly popular account, @AGuyNamedPatrick, shared with Departures. “The SoHo property combines a French eatery, called La Mercerie, and a high-end home goods store called Roman Williams Guild. The concept store/restaurant became a classic New York staple the minute it opened its doors, and I immediately fell in love.”
Indeed, as Janelle noted, you really can’t help but fall in love with the small floral shop at the entrance along with the old-school velvet banquettes along with the perfect shade of blue for the backdrop of your next best photo.
1 Hotel, Brooklyn Bridge
Another favorite of the New York City Instagram elite, including Janelle, is the lobby of the 1 Hotel. The hotel, which sits on the waterfront of the DUMBO neighborhood in Brooklyn is a stunning contemporary design perfect for photography.
“Double story floor to ceiling windows give the space lots of light, which makes snapping stellar photos on your phone a cinch,” Janelle said.
Central Park
Though it may seem like an obvious spot, Central Park is still filled with plenty of hidden gems worth your social media time.
“Central Park has an abundance of beautiful and instagrammable spots,” Katja Sherlock, the woman behind @NYC, told Departures. “One of my personal favorites is the view over The Lake from Oak Bridge looking towards the Manhattan skyline. The wonderful cityscape reflections in the water change with every season: from the cherry blossoms in the spring, summertime rowboats, golden fall to magical snowy winters.”
Views from Pebble Beach/Brooklyn Bridge Park
“I love the views of the iconic Lower Manhattan skyline and the Brooklyn Bridge from Pebble Beach/Brooklyn Bridge Park,” Sherlock said. “The views are stunning any time of the day but my favorite is just around sunset when the skyline becomes a beautiful silhouette.”
Located just down the street from Hotel 1, Pebble Beach has also become a favorite Instagram destination. There, visitors can take a few photos of the bridge, snap a few on the carousel, or just sit back, relax on the area’s benches and just take it in for themselves.
The Flatiron with the Fifth Avenue Clock
"I love this location because it is iconic for New York and my following loves to see my aesthetic there,” Emily Luciano of @emily_luciano said. The building is without a question one of the most iconic locations in the city, and the gold, hovering 5th Street clocks makes for the ideal foreground object to up your photography game. Just check out how Luciano and others use the clock in their photos for inspiration.
Stuyvesant St & E 9th Street
"This corner house has become a very photographic area because of the charming appeal that it has to offer. It creates a vintage feeling for my photos," Luciano noted. Though it’s great for photos, it’s also a fantastic place to take in a bit of the city’s history. You see, as Untapped Cities explained, Stuyvesant Street and the East 9th Street crossing is the only diagonal street in Manhattan north of 8th Street and south of Central Park, except for Broadway. Now, doesn’t that make for a great Instagram caption?
