Medical Arts Building
Standing on West 57th Street, this ornate early 20th-century skyscraper rewards photographers who look up. The facade is packed with sculptural detail, including large male caryatid figures, layered terracotta ornament, and Greek key banding that catches raking light beautifully. Shoot from the opposite sidewalk with a 24-70mm or a tilt-shift lens to minimize distortion and fit the full facade in frame, or get close and fill the frame with individual caryatids for tighter architectural abstracts. Morning light from the east hits the building's front directly, bringing out the depth of the carved stone and creating strong shadows across the relief work. Overcast days are also excellent for even exposure across the busy facade without harsh contrast. The building sits steps from Fifth Avenue and is easy to reach by subway; the sidewalk offers plenty of room to work without obstruction. (Manhattan, New York, United States)
