LIBERTY – NEW YORK CITY TIMELAPSE


Liberty – New York City Timelapse 4K from Michael Shainblum on Vimeo.


I vividly remember my first experience of New York City as a kid, before I became a photographer. The shear sense of scale, the incredible architecture and just the over all feeling I got walking around the city. That experience became one of the reasons I got into photography. Ever since then, it has been my dream to recreate that feeling into a short timelapse film. From the sensory overload of standing on a busy New York street corner. To the tranquility of standing on a skyscraper, like being on top of the world. This is a dedication to my favorite city in the world.

“Liberty” Is a visual journey through New York City captured through timelapse and hyperlapse photography. The video consists of about 15,000 still photographs captured from 2016-2018.



Here is my latest behind the scenes video, showing how I created my New York City timelapse. This video features a ton of unreleased timelapses from the project, my thoughts on some of the shots and behind the scenes set ups.


NEW YORK CITY PHOTOGRAPHY


New York City, Sunset Empire State Building Cityscape Photography
New York Photography, Sunset Empire State Building Cityscape Photography




New York City, Cityscape Pershing Square Taxi Photography
New York City, Cityscape Pershing Square Taxi Photography

This still image ended up being one of my favorite scenes out of the New York City Timelapse video. I loved the motion created by the taxi cabs, while seeing the figures behind.


New York City, Oculus World Trade Center Cityscape Photography
New York Cityscape Photography, Oculus


The lighting inside the Oculus building is just stunning. During the timelapse sequence the light glides across the ceiling, as the people float around towards the bottom.


New York City, Sunset Empire State Building Cityscape Photography
New York Timelapse Sunset Empire State Building at Sunset

New York City, Sunset Cityscape Photography
New York City, Sunset Cityscape Photography

New York Cityscape Photography
New York Timelapse, Storm Cityscape

Here is one of the stills from a rooftop hyperlapse taken during a stormy evening in New York City. This was one of the more challenging shots to create shooting and editing wise.


New York City, Statue of Liberty Sunset Cityscape Photography
New York Cityscape Photography, Statue of Liberty at Sunset.

New York City, Cityscape Photography
New York Cityscape Photography, Sunset Rooftops

New York City, Night Cityscape Photography
New York City Timelapse Photography, Still Image

New York City, Night Office Photography
New York Cityscape Photography, Office Building

New York City, Night Rockefeller Center Atlas Cityscape Photography
New York City, Photography Night Rockefeller Center Atlas


New York City, Night Empire State Building Cityscape Photography
New York City Photography, Night Empire State Building

New York Photography, Times Square Night
New York City Photography, Times Square

New York City Photography, Night
New York City Photography, Night Cityscape


New York Timelapse, Cityscape Photography
New York Photography, Night

New York City Timelapse, Cityscape Photography
New York Photography, Night

New York City Timelapse
New York Timelapse, Still Photo, Night


 

16 Comments

  1. Wonderful work!

  2. Scott A Brown

    Wonderful work!

  3. Dan Pugliese

    Congratulations, Michael and thank you for sharing your photography to recreate such a beautiful journey through New York City.

  4. Lynette Murphy

    Wow, truly amazing shots. Loved it.

  5. I just saw the breathtaking video you took great photography and video i to love New York City and it’s atmospheric sensation you have a good eye in capturing life at its true form.

  6. I felt for a moment as if I was on the Rockefeller center terrace. Nice feeling, better views. Great!

  7. Michael: In today’s world of easy digital photography, there’s a lot of mediocracy and a lack of knowledge of how to create really good photography. In photography for 54 years since I was 12 and a very successful pro photographer for 40, your work is a breath of fresh air and to me, most impressive and enjoyable. I especially enjoyed the combination of editing and inspiring music, particularly in your NYC piece. Thank you for sharing your talents which I hope have resulted in not only self-fulfillment, but also well deserved financial rewards.

  8. Fascinating images and timelapse!Thank you for sharing your brilliant work Michael!

  9. I love all your videos and photos, they are amazing!!!! thankyou for your hard work!!

  10. amazing job!! is any way to have the pics in bigger quality for bigger screens? I have an iMac Pro with a 5k monitor and you art would look amazing there man!

  11. Timothy Dearing

    You are an incredibly gifted photographer on many levels – technically and compositional. You seem to have the vision and skills to produce an image exactly as your mind’s eye has seen it. I belong to a photography site called Ugly hedge hog, which is comprised of some of the planets best photographers, and I must say your work stands with the best of them. Thank you for sharing it.

  12. The way you look at things and capturing the same with your cemara is truly amazing skill you have. I loved your work. Its so good to watch NY in time lapse .

  13. Brilliant.

    Cannot begin to imagine the work that went into making this timelapse.

    Where was the image through the greenery taken (min 6.41)

    Heading to NYC this week and doing my research for locations and best times to shoot. Guessing I will be out from dusk to dawn and then sleep during the day

  14. Thank you for sharing your work with the world. Came to your site from the Smugmug “One Day | One Artist” film, and I’ve thoroughly enjoyed the New York time-lapse & the behind-the-scenes video. Wishing you all the best in your career.

  15. that Timelapse Video….wow ….speechless.I thinkt hats the best video I’ve ever seen of NYC. I had goosebumps. It is my fav city and I miss it so much – I almost shed a tear watching it. Thank you for this. Your talent is simply amazing

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