Using tripods in New York City

terryt

terryt

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Going to New York in May and was wondering if its worth taking my tripod. I'd love to take some longish exposures in the city and of Brooklyn Bridge at night but I've read you need a permit and may get a ticket for using a tripod. Obviously I wouldn't use it anywhere crowded. Should I even bother if I'm just going to get stopped?
 
your own risk I guess but from what I've seen people don't want to be caught using it.
 
I wouldn't bother, there are loads of flat areas along the waterfront (Brooklyn and Manhattan sides) for pictures of the Brooklyn Bridge without a full tripod, I used a Gorillapod (or the floor) for these and never felt the need for a tripod. We've been 6 times now and I can count on one hand the amount of people we've seen using a tripod, little travel tripods, Gorillapods or creative use of surfaces, however, you see all the time.

Same goes for Top of the Rock or Empire State Building observatories, no chance with a tripod but with a bit of creativity you can shoot very discreetly but still get the results you want. I was managing 10 second exposures at the ESB quite comfortably, at Top of the Rock it's even easier.
 
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I would definitely take one on the trip, if you don't you may regret it.

Prior to the shot(s) the day before (without the tripod), I would do a recce and plan the angle(s) and also take and note light readings at the same planned time.

The following day (same time) I would set up my camera aperture / speed prior to arrival. Once at location I would take my photographs as quickly as possible and move on. If stopped I would apologise if I couldn't talk my way out. I would take the fixed penalty charge on the chin and pay up. A bit like popping to the bank on Saturday and avoiding the Traffic Warden 9/10 times you'l get away with if your quick, polite and apologetic.

Not sure if your going on your own but it's nice to have someone watching your back and kit while your eye is up to the viewfinder. Have a good trip hope to see some of your images up on here.
 
Yeh, I know I'm going to regret not taking something. I'm not a fan of the Gorillapod (sold the one I had). Might consider getting something like this or see how it goes when I'm there and get something there if I needed (B&H, Adorama?). Am going with the wife but she won't be letting me go to a spot to take readings and go back another day :( :lol:
 
Ive got one of these sat nav mat thingies, like a round heavy bean bag, not the suckers type. They are great for putting your camera on if you can find a surface and they dont slide about, might need a remote to trigger the action thou, looks like this
nav-mat.jpg
 
I'm for New York in 3 weeks time. Hadn't planned on a full tripod, was just going to bring my gorrilapod and a small bean bag and hope for the best. I am hoping to get to the empire state building and top of the rock an hour before dusk and get some daylight and night shots from both.

Phil.
 
Never heard of permits, but I wouldn't take one for the street, too much hassle.

As mentioned Empire State don't allow any sort of tripod, they took a gorillapod off me (seen by x-ray on the bag). There isn't really anywhere to use one up there anyway.

Top of the rock you can use a gorillapod, go to the top viewing deck (there are three in total) and you'll find plinths that you can rest it on. I asked a security guy up there and he said it was fine.
The lower decks have large glass screens rather than bars like the Empire state. There are gaps in the screens just big enough to poke a lens through.


My set from January http://www.flickr.com/photos/hotrods/sets/72157629058938023/
This guy does some amazing stuff around the city : http://www.flickr.com/photos/ryanbudhu/
 
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Hmm, I can't believe they are so strict! I might just use my rucksack as a makeshift beanbag.
 
Do you know about the string tripod? A bit of practice and you can get shots of 1.5 - 2 seconds. Not brilliant, but enough for blurry cars and people.

Failing that, lean against walls a lot.
 
I've never heard of the requirement to have a tripod permit in NY, and I had no problems when I was there. But then again, I don't know everything. Empire won't let you take a tripod up. In spite of various comments around that you cannot take one up the Rockefeller [Top Of The Rock], I took one up a couple of years ago without a hitch. There were plenty of others up there too. It wasn't particularly crowded though. In fact, when I got inside and headed for the pay booth and lifts I had to ask if I was in the right place as there was nobody in front of me. I went up late afternoon for daylight shots and stayed till dark for the night ones. The sunset was stunning.
 
The permit I read about is for commercial photography I think. I don't think the string method will help me with exposures over 0.5 seconds, lol. I think I will take my tripod but not take it on days going to the top of the rock etc, its only small anyway and the wife will just have to keep a look out :D

Thanks for all the info and suggestions.
 
Oh, would a wide angle lens be essential for NYC? The widest lens I have is a Nikon 16-85mm. Was thinking of picking up a used or hire a Sigma 10-20mm for the trip.
 
MisterE said:
In spite of various comments around that you cannot take one up the Rockefeller [Top Of The Rock], I took one up a couple of years ago without a hitch. There were plenty of others up there too.
Click to expand...

A couple of years back, I also used my tripod up the 'Top of the Rock'
I bought the combo ticket and during the day visit there was at least five tripods set up when I got there.

But for my sunset visit, it was so crowded I didn't dare put up my tripod! :eek:
But as soon as the sun had gone down, most of the crowd started to go back down and it was then safe enough to use my tripod.
 
terryt said:
Oh, would a wide angle lens be essential for NYC? The widest lens I have is a Nikon 16-85mm. Was thinking of picking up a used or hire a Sigma 10-20mm for the trip.
Click to expand...

hmm.. I think I'd get one..

This is 15mm and I've lost the entire left side.


Times Square by c20let, on Flickr

If you wanted to (for example) take ground shots of tall buildings I reckon you may well need wider than 16mm.
Up on the skyscrapers you'd do ok with 16mm, but the wider you go the more you'll fit in - theres plenty of it!

BTW statue of liberty is closed until October for renovation. You can still get the ferry there (which will also take you to Ellis Island) but you can't get in to the statue (or the museum) at all.
 
terryt said:
Just reading reviews online and it looks pretty good but then came across the optera 230 from the same company, I might get one of those.
Click to expand...

I had the 460 version of that and that was absoute HUGE.... Didn't get on with it so sent it back and got the T-pod instead.... Its small an compact and doesn't take up much room unlike the 260 would..

The earth magnet is amazing an I would say that that would stick an elephant to concord if it was still able to fly...

The magnets really really do hold/stick together & I would hate to try an get them apart if they accidently got "stuck" together which they dont recommend you do. Their vid (trek tech) show them hanging a camera with a iirc a bigma lens attached upside down with these magnets to show just how strong they are, I've done it with my D700/MB-D10 & my Nikon 70-200 VRII (althou it was over the bed incase it did come apart) and it held..
 
I would get the T-pod but worried that it won't work on uneven services and the legs aren't adjustable so it won't fit on a narrow ledge etc.
 
A few years ago a friend of mine went to New York to photograph Grand Central Station, he was warned he would need to get permission to use a tripod.
So when he got there he spoke to station security, got his badge, hi-vis and chaperone and off he went.
He'd only been set up 2 minutes when the Station controller announced over the tannoy to an entirely packed to the rafters Grand Central, that Dave Smith would be using a tripod to take some pictures today and that passengers should not be alarmed if they see him.....:lol:......I dunno how long he hung about after that..:lol:
 
LOL, that's funny. I would be out of there in a flash if it happened to me.
 
Hi all, new to talk photography.

I've been to NYC a couple of times. Tripods are (to my knowledge) aren't allowed in Grand Central Station or Top of the Rock. I've used a gorrilla pod without a problem at both. If you have to choose between visiting the Empire State or Top of the Rock I'd choose the latter every time, far less crowded and nice handy ledges to rest your camera on. Get there just before dusk then you have the benefit of daytime and dusk shots.

I've used my tripod without a problem on the shoreline of Jersey City and Hoboken without a problem. I've also briefly used it by Brooklyn Bridge (outside the ice cream parlour) but torrential wind and rain meant I didn't get the shots I wanted of the bridge.

Hope to go back again soon!
 
Bump.

Got back from 6 nights in NYC last week and had a fabulous time. I bought a sigma 10-20mm for the holiday and used it over half the time. Also bought an Optera 230 tripod but only used it a couple of times in Central Park and for night shots of the Brooklyn Bridge wrapped around the railings. I did see someone using a tripod at Grand Central station but not sure if they had a permit.

I didn't go up the Top of the Rock unfortunately as the wife wanted to go up the Empire State instead. NYC is a fab place for photography but I didn't feel that comfortable taking street shots of people.

I've posted some HDR shots in this thread :)
 
I went in February and took my big heavy manfrotto. I never ran into trouble using it, even in Times Square at 11pm. I did use it with care though, especially in crowded areas. I'm pretty glad I did take it though. :)
 
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