Aerial Manhattan: A Helicopter Adventure

August 15, 2019

Doors Off! The Ultimate NYC Photography Experience

There's an exhilarating freedom that comes with helicopter photography over Manhattan—especially when there's nothing between you and the iconic skyline. But capturing these breathtaking aerial perspectives requires careful planning well before you're strapped in and hovering above the city.  And the dual harnesses are very impressive!

As a photographer, the decisions begin piling up immediately: What time offers the best light? Sunset, sunrise, night, or the magical blue hour? Which day should you choose? And perhaps most critically—what weather conditions will create the perfect canvas? Clear skies provide crisp details, while strategic clouds can add dramatic dimension to your compositions.

Then come the technical considerations: Should you bring a wide-angle lense to capture the sprawling cityscape or telephoto options to isolate architectural details? Will the Empire State Building feature special illumination that evening? Each choice shapes the story your images will tell.

Flight Preparations

After extensive research, I selected FlyNYON, a company specializing exclusively in photography flights, and booked a sunset session in August. The journey began at their Kearny, NJ facility, where safety briefings quickly reminded me this was no ordinary photo shoot.

Everything that could potentially come loose had to be secured or removed—no lens caps, lens hoods, or loose accessories. The doorless helicopter creates significant wind, making equipment security paramount. Heavy-duty headphones serve the dual purpose of noise reduction and enabling communication with the pilot throughout the 30-minute flight.

The Aerial Dance

The flight pattern follows a photographer-friendly choreography. As we approached each landmark—the Empire State Building, One World Trade Center, Statue of Liberty, Brooklyn Bridge—the pilot strategically positioned the helicopter to give each side optimal shooting angles. When your turn arrives, you swing your legs outside the cabin, resting your feet on the helicopter's runners while securely harnessed, creating an unobstructed perspective that's impossible from traditional tours.

Our six-person flight included various photography enthusiasts, from smartphone-equipped tourists to fellow photographers with professional gear. Regardless of equipment, everyone shared the same wide-eyed excitement of this unique vantage point.

Empire State in Technicolor

For this particular flight, I'd deliberately chosen an evening when the Empire State Building would be illuminated in vibrant green, yellow, and orange. The timing allowed me to capture the transition from golden hour to dusk, when the city begins its transformation into a metropolis of light.

While I've previously experienced night flights after complete darkness has fallen, this sunset-to-dusk transition provided the perfect balance—enough ambient light to retain detail in the shadows while showcasing the building's spectacular illumination against a deepening blue sky.

Among the many images captured that evening, my photograph of the Empire State Building standing proud in its colorful display remains my favorite—the culmination of careful planning and the undeniable magic that happens when you're hanging outside a helicopter 1,500 feet above Manhattan.