Evan Joseph

New York City Lights – the fascinating aerial photography of Evan Joseph

Like a pillar of light, all colour and structure, the imposing Chrysler building rises skywards towards the viewer. This is what makes Evan Joseph’s breath-taking New York images so fascinating: They have been taken from a helicopter, allowing us to look down on the New York night from above. Rather than displaying its chaotic activity, the city plays a game of light and dark, of ordered architectural lines. These city lights are the palette through which Joseph is able to create his compositions. No easy task, as he explained in an interview. Weeks of preparation and testing were needed before he could take the perfect picture at just the right moment. Countless circles with the helicopter were required for him and the pilot to test the stability of the equipment: They had to be sure it would not be damaged during daring manoeuvres, and that it would produce technically flawless photographs. Finally, he had to search for the right lighting, the perfect balance of colour and form in a particular location. It was, as Evans said “An enormous technical challenge.”

As onlookers we are struck by the aesthetic beauty of the photographs and can only hold our breath at the thought of how they were taken. Most of the shots are collected in the New York City at Night picture book, but their true drama only really emerges as large format prints: We can recognise individual people standing in the windows, or getting out of taxis. Incredible details appear in such sharpness that even the photographer was surprised. Only one of the city’s most prominent photographers could have taken on the challenge of shooting New York in such a unique way; as a city of lights in the night time. Until now, Evan Joseph has primarily been known for his interior and architectural photography: He has shot the homes of such famous people as Sting, Julian Schnabel, and Rupert Murdoch, and has been published in such important publications as the New York Times, Elle Décor, and HOME. Through the wonderful New York City at Night pictures, Evan Joseph has reached a new milestone in his thrilling photographic career.

Solo Exhibitions

2012	Evan Joseph, Gallery 151, Chelsea NYC, USA
2011	Evan Joseph at Night, The Tachi Gallery, Tribeca NYC, USA
2005	Evan Joseph, The Art Institute of New York City, USA