New York City: the big apple, the city that never sleeps, the melting pot.  No matter what it is nick-named, everyone knows what it is referring to: New York City.  NYC contains the best entertainment hot spots, local cuisine, and of course the famous tourist attraction, Times Square.  Meghan Thurlow’s photo essay, “The Big Apple,” captures all of these parts that make up the heart of New York City to show everything it has to offer.  All of the images in the photo essay contain methods used by the photographer to enhance the photos.  Between camera angles, lighting, and shapes, these images are able to come together to show how New York City is the best city in the world.

To begin, the camera angles of a photo can completely change how the subject looks or is perceived by the viewer.  Some examples of camera angles are the close up, long shot, bird’s eye, panoramic shot, and low-angle shot.  Different types of camera angles can transform a picture to make it look bigger or smaller than it really is, to set the scene, to make something look strong or powerful, or to make the subject seem vulnerable or powerless.  In “The Big Apple,” photo 2 is a long shot of New York City, showing the exterior of the city far in the distance.  The city overpowers the landscape surrounding it, making it look powerful.  This long shot draws the viewer in and makes them curious as to what such a large city contains inside of it.  However in contrast, image 3 of Thurlow’s photo essay is a close up of a street sign that says “Broadway.”  Broadway is the most magnificent form of entertainment in New York City.  It’s shows make headlines for holding the best actors, dancers, and singers in the world.  This image of the “Broadway” street sign intentionally zooms in on the sign to make it the main subject of the photo.  Allowing the sign to stand out and look important represents how big of a deal Broadway is.  Furthermore, another camera shot is the panoramic shot.  This is a camera angle that does not only capture the image that is directly in front of the photographer but also captures what is on the sides of the photographer, giving it a fish-eye feature.  In image 5 of, “The Big Apple,” the panoramic shot is used to show the entrance of Madison Square Garden.  MSG is an arena in New York City that transforms to host different sporting events and concerts, and can hold almost 22,000 people.  The best and most influential artists perform in MSG.  The panoramic camera shot makes the letters that spell out “Madison Square Garden” on the overhead look ginormous due to the fish-eye affect, representing how big the arena is.  Next, another camera angle is the low-angle shot.  This shot is taken from a low point and looking up to something, making the subject below seem small and vulnerable compared to it’s surroundings.  This is the method that is used in image 7 of Times Square in Thurlow’s photo essay.  Times Square is the biggest tourist attraction in New York City.  It is what everyone envisions when thinking of New York City - bright lights, tall buildings, colors, and crowded pathways.  For some people, it might even be overwhelming, which is what this camera angle captures. 

Along with camera angles, the lighting in pictures is just as effective in changing the perception of a photo.  For example, if a photo only has dark colors the viewer may perceive it as gloomy, however if there are bright colors the image is perceived as exciting and fun.  In photos of New York City, bright lights consume billboards and signs everywhere in sight, illuminating how opportunistic it is to be there.  For example, in image 3 of Thurlow’s photo essay, behind the Broadway street sign, colorful lights of Times Square fill the background.  In addition, this photo was taken at night, which the photographer probably did on purpose to provides contrast to the bright lights and make them pop out even more.  It truly speaks to the saying that New York is the, “the city that never sleeps,” because even at night, the bright lights still consume the city.  Image 4 in, “The Big Apple,” shows the Broadway show, “Newsies,” right before the show is about to begin.  The image shows that where the audience is sitting is dark, while the stage has a bright sign that says “Newsies” on it.  While the lighting in theaters draws attention to the stage, the same method is used in photos.  Furthermore, image 8 in Thurlow’s photo essay includes important lighting in the Museum of Modern Art (MOMA).  The lighting is very bright, which is intensified by the white walls and floor.  In all museums, there are rules that enforce visitors to not touch any of the artwork.  The bright lighting along with the white walls and floor makes the museum seem clean and delicate, which subconsciously reminds the viewers that they should not touch any of the fragile, delicate artwork.

Along with the camera angles and lighting, shapes in a photo can also represent deeper meaning.  The shape that is the main focus in image 4 of Thurlow’s photo essay is the big square on the stage that says the name of the Broadway show, “Newsies.”  Squares signify organization and symmetry.  Likewise, the set-up of theaters are symmetrical in the way the seats are positioned.  The square also represents how Broadway shows are professional and organized, which is why they have strict rules during the show and typically people dress up to attend.  On the other hand, image 7 of, “The Big Apple,” shows the asymmetrical shapes of the buildings and billboards.  In Times Square, everything is shaped and placed differently, trying to grab the attention of the people walking by.  The different shapes and sizes in this photo also represent how in Times Square, nothing is organized - people are always rushing, there are always loud noises, and taxis are cutting people off.  Another image in, “The Big Apple,” that has important shapes is image 8.  This picture of the MOMA includes a few structures of art that are shaped asymmetrically.  These abstract pieces represent how not all artwork needs to be made up of perfect shapes, however sometimes different angles and random sizes can make it unique.

In conclusion, the different camera angles, lighting, and shapes that photographers use when taking photos can enhance and transform a basic image into an in-depth, captivating, and meaningful picture.  Meghan Thurlow’s photo essay, “The Big Apple,” shows what New York City represents and what is has to offer.  The methods that the photographers used to take these pictures of New York allow the images in this photo essay to come together to show how New York City is the most amazing city in the world.
