Look up. Tune in

It’s sort of comical to think about how easy it is to overlook the gigantic broadcast antenna that is perched directly behind and above you as you gaze over all of New York City from the 86th floor Observatory Deck of the Empire State Building. No one would blame you, either. The views that are offered are simply amazing. You get a perspective of this giant city that is a complete antithesis from when you’re standing on ground level.

Despite all of this beauty, though, all you need to do is turn around to see this gigantic broadcast antenna stretching even further towards to the sky. It’s an iconic shot and as I look at it, I’m instantly transported to a post that the incomparable Joe McNally wrote a few years ago about shooting from the tower itself (link below). True to form, Joe’s images offer a view of NYC that you likely have never seen before. Ultimately, when I look at this image, I am immediately reminded about the importance of always being aware of your surroundings and never forget to turn around.

In terms of processing
I stylized this image pretty much exclusively in onOne Software Perfect B&W. I kept toying with applying some toner to give the image a particular color but opted to keep it rather monochromatic.

Final touches were applied in Lightroom 4.3.

http://www.joemcnally.com/blog/2009/05/26/getting-high/