My second trip to New York in 2017 was mainly to shoot editorials for magazine submissions, test with model agencies in Manhattan, shoot a video promo for a new YouTube channel, catch up with friends and have some holiday time!
Usually during NYFW it's super hard to get hold of models, the model bookers are at their busiest time of year and incredibly stacked with work. Also many of their models are either out at castings and fittings or walking in shows.
Model Anna Zaiachkivska from New York Model Management getting her hair prepped by Kash Spang for our shoot at the Cloisters.
The second week of July had been on my calendar for several months which was originally planned for shooting the launch of a new swimwear brand on Fire Island.
Fire Island shot from the plane coming into New York.
Unfortunately the swimwear brand wasn't ready to launch for it's target at the end of June, this was probably for the best as the weather for the date set for July 12th was incredibly hot and humid and there was also thunderstorms and heavy rain!! That said, it wouldn't have been quite the shoot or setting that I was originally aiming for..
So I decided to extend my trip from 1 week to 2 weeks and fly to New York City in time to catch all the festivities and fun happening during July 4th. I had previously experienced the American Independence Day celebrations when I lived in Brooklyn for 3 months during the summer of 2014 and it was such a cool experience. I was stoked to get the opportunity to do it again.
Anyway, this is how I spent July 4th at the start of my trip.
That evening the Empire State Building was lit red, white and blue for the colours of the American Flag. I made my way to East River Park in Williamsburg which I heard was one of the best spots to capture the fireworks in all their splendour.
Here are the shots I got over the River Hudson from the park.
A few days later I shot my first editorial for a magazine submission with a fantastic team. The space was on top of a building opposite The Trump Tower which usually costs $10,000 dollars a day to shoot at. We managed to shoot there for free but had to adhere to strict call times.
Here are some of the views from the rooftop which was absolutely breathtaking! As a child I was completely terrified of heights, so much so that walking across a bridge would turn my legs to jelly and once during a school trip to Brownsea Island in the UK that teacher had to hold my hand up some steps to my complete embarrassment to the rest of the class... Nowadays I love to be up high and it doesn't phase me at all.
A sneak peek at some of the looks we were creating.
We were shooting a submission for Fall / Winter and some of the collection including some beautiful pieces by Kevin Johnn www.kevinjohnn.com were fur. As you can imagine shooting on a rooftop in July must have been boiling for the models, but they gave it their all and I was really impressed with the final images.
Manhattan Bridge shot from Dumbo, Brooklyn, NYC.
The following day I organised a shoot in Dumbo, Brookyln with Breshell who I met last season at NYFW. She brought along her friend Victoria who was also from Texas visiting and shooting in NYC for the week.
We got some shots around Brooklyn Bridge Park ducking for cover between torrential rain which added to the fun of the photoshoot!
I paid a visit to the historic Union Square which is always a busy and diverse part of the city. You can always find markets and people out in the sunshine enjoying games of chess.
Union Square is an easy walk to East Village if you follow 14th Street East.
A statue of George Washington the first president of the United States is situated in the middle of Union Square near the subway entrance.
Trees in Tompkins Square Park in East Village
Rays Candy Store is one of my favourite stops for fries along with Pommes Frites. Especially with the cheese sauce! They also make some amazing milkshakes. Check them out at
East Village, Alphabet City
113 Avenue A
New York, NY 10009
New Yorker Ice Cream on the night shift
American news reporting. Kind of like The Sun in the UK but much worse, the stories they run about Donald Trump are quite amusing.
Long exposure photography on W 34th St in Manhattan
Sippin' a Strawberry Colada, a nice tasty beverage to wash street food down.
Fun in Times Square.
Hailing taxi's with huge bags outside Macy's.
Sheep's Meadow in Central Park
Another American IPA ticked of the list of ones I've tried.
Madison Square Garden at Pennsylvania Plaza close to 34th Street Penn Station
Central Park from the top of a rooftop.
I had no idea what this little guy was so asking one of the locals they told me it's called a Groundhog. It made me laugh as I remembered the Bill Murray movie Groundhog Day which features the furry animal. They are a kind of rodent like a large rat so although they seem friendly you really shouldn't try and pat one.
Historic Brownstone buildings in Inwood, north of Manhattan. A mostly Spanish & Latin neighbourhood that's a little different than what I have seen before.
I have not idea how I kept this trainers so clean. They weren't quite the same colour by the end of the trip.
Chilling on a rooftop on Hell's Kitchen is one of my favourite New York City pastimes.
Look up!
Green and serene are the sunsets in Central Park.
Empire State Building standing high with 2 American flags nearby.
This iron cross was recovered intact from Ground Zero in lower Manhattan and formed part of the structure of the South Tower of The World Trade Center. It was presented to the Church of the Good Sherpherd by the Port Authority Police Department to stand as a memorial to those who lost their lives on September 11th 2001.
Hoyt-Schermerhorn Street Station in the New York City Subway. This was the filming location of Michael Jackson's Bad video in 1987 with Wesley Snipes directed by Martin Scorsese.
The plane ride back to London. Thanks for the awesome memories once again New York, see you in September for New York Fashion Week!
