Arches of Fort Tryon Park
The stone arches at Fort Tryon Park are a striking piece of Olmsted Brothers landscape design, where curved masonry tunnels and overgrown stonework create a moody, almost medieval atmosphere in the middle of upper Manhattan. The arches themselves make natural frames, so position yourself inside one and look outward to compress the layers of stone, foliage, and light into a single shot. A wide angle lens lets you exaggerate the depth of the tunnel, while a longer focal length is useful for isolating the texture of the weathered stone. Golden hour light filtering through the tree canopy above the arches adds warmth and contrast, and overcast days work surprisingly well here by keeping shadows soft and revealing the detail in the masonry. The site is walkable from the A train at 190th Street, and the arches are a short stroll into the park along the lower paths. (New York City, New York, United States)
