For NYC Photographers: Wedding Locations and Regulations - Suggestions Meeded

[jerryfergusonphotography]

I'm a wedding photographer (10 years experience) from Arizona. I'll be shooting a wedding in New York City soon,

and the bride and groom have given us pretty much free reign as far as locations go. They are an Australian

couple who are flying in to elope in Central Park.

 

A coupla questions:

My partner has spent a lot of time in Brooklyn, but not much time in Manhattan. If you had a few hours and free

reign to take your bride and groom wherever you wanted in the city, where would you go?

 

Are the 'authorities' in New York strict about permits?

[think27]

You won't have a problem if you are not bringing light stands and such. Sometimes they'll give you a problem if you have a tripod and there is a large group of people. There may be certain places where they are more diligent than others...

 

I've had no problem in Central Park and highly recommend it as a place to shoot! It can be cold there this time of year, however.. Check around a place called "The Boathouse". large pond with arched bridges over it just a short walk away. Perhaps a shot on the south end of the park - horse and carriage area and a nice setting in the center garden/sitting area near Plaza hotel. South Street Seaport area is nice but that's waaaay downtown. For some funky shots and interesting buildings - Soho is always very artistic. And then again it depends on what you are going for. If I had a couple that wanted to have very "city" shots, I might take them to the theatre district or 42nd street and Broadway.

 

If it is cold - a hotel lobby or Grand Central but you'd have to find out if there would be a problem there. Personally, I just tell the couple that we'll pretend we're friends taking shots - not pros. They can't bother you for that. I even hand the couple the camera and have them pretend to take a shot of me/us or the bride and me if a cop is looking and seeming like he may bother us. Works every time.

 

Oh - the steps of the History Museum is good as well. And Park Ave down near the low 40's with the tunnel through the building in the background.

[g.e._masana]

Go to around 50 Street and Broadway around nightfall, and shoot aiming south. That's Times Square with all it's neon blitz going on. What a view!

 

Bethesda Fountain in Central Park and the underpass right there, you'll recognize from several thousand fashion shoots that have taken place there.

 

And if you're in around December, you may want to grab a bit at Rockefeller Center.

[William Michael]

> They are an Australian couple who are flying in to elope in Central Park. <

 

So that`s where they went to . . . I though my suggestions to have the service in The Royal Botanic Gardens with the Opera House and Harbour Bridge as backdrops at sunset was a really good idea.

 

I must check my aftershave . . .

 

WW

[sherijohnson]

I was going to mention IF they know how to ice skate and you are there when the ice skating rink is open, that would be sort of cool. That is at Rockefeller Center that someone else mentioned, it is where you see the big Christmas tree when it is up.

[jerryfergusonphotography]

<p>Just wanted to post a follow-up. As often happens with these kinds of things, we were overprepared(if there is such a thing), and the couple ended up really wanting to keep it low-key and so we only shot at a few locations:<br>

 

<ul>

<li>Central Park</li>

<li>Columbus Circle</li>

<li>The Flatiron Building</li>

<li>Times Square</li>

</ul>

<br>We had a driver in an SUV that drove us to each location, which saved us a lot of time. Funny side story - we almost ran over Tim Robbins(the actor) on his bicycle near the Flatiron Building.<br>

It rained the whole day, but we still got some great shots and had a lot of fun in NYC. We never got stopped by any 'authorities' even though we did have some umbrellas and light stands set up.<br>