A Balloon Over Central Park; A Unique Perspective of NYC
By Rich Jakob
5 Aug 2008
As part of the 150th anniversary of Central Park the NYC Parks Dept. is offering guests the opportunity to go up in a tethered balloon 30 stories above the park. It's rare to be offered such a unique perspective of NYC. Most attractions that offer a view of the city require that the viewer look down upon the cityscape. But because the balloon only went up 30 stories the viewer was offered an opportunity to view the skyline from what felt like eye level.
What I found most compelling was that the tree tops in the park played a huge role when taking photos and the lighting at 7:45 in the morning on a greyish day only added to the effect (especially the downtown / south exposure shots). It felt like a "Planet Earth" shoot.
Fortunately there was a slight breeze that day, so the balloon spun around slowly during the ascent, the peak, and the descent, allowing me to photograph a 360 degree perspective.
It was neat to see my home in a fresh way. A contrast from the frustration and stagnation one can feel from being somewhere for a long time. I recommend that all of you, wherever you may be, take the time to explore where you live and allow yourselves the opportunity to see your homes from a different perspective. Seperate yourself from the ordinary and breathe...
