Wednesday, December 31, 2008

World Financial Center Winter Garden


World Financial Center Winter Garden
Manhattan, NY

The World Financial Center is located right across from Ground Zero. I hadn’t been there in many years and decided to make it the first stop on my trip to Manhattan. I rode the #4 train downtown to Fulton Street and then walked the few blocks to the WFC. My Ipod was on shuffle and ‘Amazing Grace’ started to play as I was walking across the footbridge on the end of the old World Trade Center site. It seemed poignant and my heart was a little heavy when I arrived inside.

The Winter Garden is a huge, no mega, atrium whose main feature is the grove of 45 foot tall Palm trees. They looked amazing decked out for Christmas. The atrium is made of a huge quantity of marble and granite and it is all highly polished. The doors in the back lead out to a plaza and kind of river walk along New York Harbor and Hudson River. You could see Lady Liberty off in the foggy haze. That is where the boat picture was taken. I used the new 70-300mm lens and it seemed to do ok.

There are a lot of stores and restaurants in the WFC as well as a stage and some nice seating areas. I think I would like to go back when the sky is a little friendlier to photography (not the flat gray, white of Sunday). There were no hassles with taking pictures and I noticed a few other serious photographs out as well.

This site is getting updated later in the day now. My routine is totally shattered as I am not going to work. Today’s snow event (3-6 inches) will probably pit more of a damper on that. It is about time to go on vacation. Karen and I have rented a house in San Diego for the month of February. We are going to pack up the family (Juno and Ruby) and drive out. Gas prices have fallen just in time. I hope to be blogging from San Diego but don’t know what the Internet situation will be out there.


The pictures in the post feature converging verticals. I like to have fun with them when doing architecture type shots. It is not really a good photography technique. To minimize them keep the camera level.


That is the outside of the atrium. I added some tint to the sky in Photoshop on this one.

World Financial Center Winter Garden

7 comments:

roentare said...

Such a wonderful series of citiscape. Good contrast

Anonymous said...

great shots thanks posting them.

Heather said...

Beautiful pictures. It has been ages since I've been to NYC. Have a safe trip to Cali!

catsynth said...

Beautiful pictures. I am always fond of architectural shots.

I of course know the area, and remember the Wintergarden Atrium. It was badly damaged in 9-11 and restored afterwards.

Happy New Year

Anonymous said...

Wishing you a good 2009 with lots of peace :)

Eaton Bennett aka Berenice Albrecht said...

lovely city shot and the winter garden is beautiful...I like your photographs, will be back. Happy New Year! :)

Anonymous said...

The wonder of a new year beckons, and all our quiet hopes are born anew. Wishing you a very Happy New Year!