Artist: Dan Piech November 8, 2015 Central Park, New York, NY 192 megapixels 5.6 x 2.6 feet 100 lifetime prints
Sometimes breaking the rules is worth it. The view of the Billionaires' Row skyline from Sheep Meadow in Central Park is one of my favorite views in the city. The direct juxtaposition of the park and the city, seemingly on top of one another, is not seen as profoundly anywhere else. It's especially powerful for the week of the year when the autumn foliage is at its peak and the sunrise rays come from far enough north to be reflected off the buildings. Unfortunately, Sheep Meadow is closed behind tall fences during this time, in order to let the grass regrow after a summer full with picnickers.
After a series of lackluster attempts to capture the magnificence of autumn in Central Park, I decided it was worth taking the risk to get a sunrise photo from Sheep Meadow before the few days of peak foliage were gone. So, in the middle of the night, I climbed over the fence blocking the meadow and set up my camera gear hidden under a tree on the north end of the field. As the sun came up and reflected beautifully off of the skyline, I exposed this image. Moments later, a park police officer began yelling in my direction. After a stern scolding and a swift escort out of the park, I found myself walking down 8th avenue with a grin on my face, knowing the image I had stored on my camera.