Capture Two NYC Icons in One Unique Shot — The Statue of Liberty and Empire State Building.

Although the Statue of Liberty and the Empire State Building are more than 5 miles apart, it is possible to photograph both iconic landmarks in a single frame. By finding the right vantage point, you can align these symbols of American history and architectural brilliance. This offers photographers a unique opportunity to capture the essence of New York City's skyline through a distinct composition.

Images and location summary by Juan Melli

Trail Difficulty - EASY

GPS Coordinates & Elevation

40°39'49.2"N 74°04'07.9"W

Sea Level

Photography Tips

There are at least two interesting compositions to consider, one in landscape orientation and the other in portrait orientation.

For a landscape shot, you can take a picture from Harbor View Park. Position the Statue of Liberty to the left, so it appears to be facing toward the Empire State Building. To create a clearer composition, try to keep some separation between the Statue of Liberty and the buildings behind it. Since you will be relatively far from your subjects, even small adjustments in your perspective can significantly impact the composition.

For a portrait orientation shot, I recommend driving to the end of the pier to the north, which is about a 4-mile, 12-minute drive. Take the photo from the area near where the road bends at the end. Position the Statue of Liberty to the right of the Empire State Building, framed within a gap in the skyline. This particular perspective is not possible from Harbor View Park due to the alignment of the Statue of Liberty and the Empire State Building.

As the Statue of Liberty is located in New York Harbor, you may encounter cruise ships, passenger ferries, and other vessels. These can either be distracting or can add a sense of activity to the scene.

Directions

Drive along Port Terminal Boulevard to the parking lot at the eastern end of the Peninsula at Bayonne Harbor (aka the former Marine Ocean Terminal). Just before reaching the end of the pier, you pass the Cape Liberty Cruise Port. If it's a cruise embarkation day (typically Friday, Saturday, and Sunday), you could be stuck in a few minutes of traffic with hundreds of passengers waiting to park. If that's the case, don't follow the passengers when they're directed to turn for parking - just continue straight until you reach the end of the pier. The entrance to the park is at the southeast end of the parking lot. It is a very short walk to the lawn where you can get the shot.

View In Google earth

EXIF Data

Focal Length – 535 mm
Exposure – 1/20th sec @ f 6.3
ISO – 1600
Date – Nov 24th
Time – 5:55 pm

Best Time of Day to Shoot

Sunset, Late afternoon, Sunrise

Capturing the Statue of Liberty during sunrise or sunset is ideal, as these times offer beautiful lighting. You want to see the statue illuminated—either by the warm rays of the golden hour or by the artificial lights that highlight its green patina, illuminate the torch's 24K gold flame, and create a warm orange glow on the pedestal. These colors provide a striking contrast to the modern steel and glass skyline in the background.

As with any sunrise or sunset shot, the colors change quickly. However, the added complexity of artificial lighting and reflections from glass can make the scene evolve even faster than usual.

At sunset, there is a period when the statue is no longer illuminated by the sun but before it gets dark enough to stand out clearly from its illumination. This transitional stage can make for a challenging shot. In addition, even after the sun sets, the skyline begins to darken, but the glass buildings may still reflect the lingering twilight for a while. This reflected light can be distracting, so you might want to wait until those reflections fade and only the artificial lighting of the buildings remains.

Additionally, multiple skyscrapers including the Empire State Building feature decorative LED lighting that can change colors, adding another interesting element to your captures.

Best Time of Year

You can photograph from this location anytime of year.

The skyline is constantly evolving with new buildings and construction cranes, so the composition of this shot will change over time.

The image above was taken on November 24th

Lens(es) Needed

The shot requires longer lenses, around 500mm to 600mm. The features you want to capture are very far away - the Statue of Liberty is located 2 miles away, and the Empire State Building is 7 miles away. Using longer lenses creates a compression effect that makes these two landmarks appear closer together and of similar size.

If you use a lens with a focal length of about 250mm, you can capture wider skyline views that include One World Trade Center. However, the imposing scale of the surrounding buildings may cause the Statue of Liberty to lose its prominence in the composition.

The above image was taken at 535 mm.

Birds-Eye View

Permits

No permit is required.

Direction of the Shot

The direction of the shot is northeast around 35°.

Equipment Needed

Due to the need for a long focal length and low light, a tripod is required.

Number of Other Photographers to Expect

During my visits, there were no other photographers present. However, you may encounter a few people visiting the memorial or fishing.

Two NYC Icons in One Shot