Coming off of another trip into NYC for Fashion Week, I wanted to share a roundup of my favorite spots to snap my Instagram photos! I know a bunch of you requested the exact locations of some recent photos from this season, but since I’ve been going to NYFW for 6 years now — I figured I would round up a list from all seasons I’ve attended since that is when I’ve put a real emphasis on getting the best photos in NYC. The below are a mix of professional photography and iPhone shots (you’ll see I’ve noted when I’ve had the help of a photographer).
Scroll below for a list of my favorite spots, the exact location on how to get there, and some GLAM photo tips!
STREETS OF SOHO
I love texture and gorgeous architecture to be in the background of my photos, so the cobble streets of Soho are perfection. Mercer Street is one of my favorite go-to spots and has tons of little nooks, stoops, crosswalks, and gorgeous doorways. *GLAM TIP: Be patient and wait for a yellow cab to drive by for a classic NYC shot.
Exact location: I like to put “V Agency” into my Google maps because I adore this building. It’s located on 11 Mercer Street.
FLATIRON BUILDING
photos by Luccia Lowenthal
This is a very high traffic location, so it’s better to go early in the morning if you’re looking to get a solo shot. The Flatiron Building is one of my favorite buildings in all of NYC, so I was so excited to take these shots during NYFW a few years ago. *GLAM TIP: It’s better to stand away from the building and to shoot low, especially if you want the entire building in the frame of the photo. Have your photographer duck down and angle up to ensure the top of the building makes it in the shot. The best photos can usually be taken at the plaza across the street from the front of the building (the point).
Exact location: Flatiron Plaza, E 23rd Street.
Pietro Nolita
I’m always on the hunt for a touch of pink to match the Oh So Glam brand (always #forthegram), so this little Italian spot has been on my list forever. It’s a pink wonderland, and the inside is just as adorable as the outside. *GLAM TIP: Plan your outfit ahead of time and match the background! Have fun with it!
Exact location: 174 Elizabeth Street
BROOKLYN BRIDGE
One of my favorite photo shoots of all time, this was worth every second of the early wake up we did to get these shots. Get ready to do some walking, as the best shots are usually in the center of the bridge! You’ll also have to be patient and your photographer might have to get creative with angles to avoid people in the background. *GLAM TIP: The best photos are either sunrise or sunset. We did these photos for sunrise, so when we were actually walking to the center of the bridge, it was still dark. You want to be there when the sun starts coming up (not be trying to get there while the sun is rising), so set your alarm and allow time to get on the bridge for when the sun rises. You can use Weather.com to get the exact time the sun is expected to rise and set that day.
Exact location: If you’re entering from Manhattan, type “Park Row & Centre St” into your Google maps, as that is the entrance to get to the pedestrian promenade and where you can begin your walk. You can walk the full length of the bridge to Brooklyn (which we did to get to my next location spot), or go to the middle and turn around to go back to Manhattan.
DUMBO, BROOKLYN
Washington Street in Brooklyn is where it’s AT! This street is beyond gorgeous and appears underneath the bridge for that iconic shot. *GLAM TIP: Stand in the center of Washington Street and play around with movement. The candid shots are always my favorite.
Exact location: The intersection of Washington Street and Water Street gives you the best shot but you can go as far as Front Street as well if you have a real camera and want the full bridge view.
While We Were Young
Looking for a beautiful location indoors? Look no further than the prettiest cocktail spot in all of Manhattan. While We Were Young is what I would envision my bar to look like if I ever had an urge to open a bar. Girlie, gorgeous, pink, marble, flowers, pretty drinks with actual flower petals in them. Grab your girlfriends and head here. *GLAM TIP: Get there right when the doors open at 4pm. It’s actually a dark little spot (as far as lighting goes), so you’ll want to get there with as much natural light as possible (especially if taking an iPhone photo without flash). The best shots are also edited AF. I throw my photos into Lightroom, apply my custom preset (which make my photos look cohesive) and then take that edited photo into Facetune and use the whitening tool to brighten the background and remove the harsh lights. **Second GLAM TIP: Ask the bartender for the prettiest drink #forthegram. Some of their cocktails are beyond gorgeous and they totally know their spot is photo heaven!
Exact location: 183 W 10th St
NOMO SOHO
There’s a reason that so many bloggers choose the NOMO SOHO as their hotel of choice for NYFW. It’s photo heaven… and who doesn’t want a gorgeous background easily at your disposal during one of the busiest weeks of the year?! *GLAM TIP: The inside of the hotel and rooms are beyond gorgeous, but even if you’re not staying at the hotel, the front of the hotel is the perfect backdrop for photos. The ivy arches are the entrance and the tables and chairs are right in front of the property!
Exact location: 9 Crosby Street (located in Soho)
Stuyvesant Street
If you’re looking for charming, look no further. The East Village is beyond charming and every little stoop and corner is more charming than the next. My favorite spot? The corner of Stuyvesant Street and E 10th Street. It forms a triangle and reminds me of a more quaint Flatiron building. *GLAM TIP: Have your photographer carefully back up to really get the scenery and the beautiful building. Wait for a quiet time (when there aren’t as many people or they are far into the background).
Exact location: Stuyvesant Street and E 10th Street
Bethesda Fountain, Central Park
Photos by Kat Harris
Gossip Girl, anyone? I was so honored to work on this BHLDN photo shoot last year and they wanted us to recreate the infamous Gossip Girl shot in Central Park. Definitely dress up in your best Upper East Side outfit, the location deserves a touch of GLAM! There’s also a set of gorgeous stairs right nearby! *GLAM TIP: This is a pretty easy location to shoot at even though it’s crowded because you can play around with angles and frames to make it look like no one is there with you (we actually took these and the park was PACKED). It doesn’t really matter what side of the fountain you shoot on, so find the least busy spot and wait until everyone is out of the frame.
Exact location: You can’t get to this location by car, so you’ll have to walk a bit to get to the fountain. The best way to get there is to get dropped off on Terrace Drive at 72nd Street and then walk down to the fountain from there.
Sézane Apartment
Maybe you’ve seen this Bonjour New York floor tile on Instagram before? It’s the perfect shoe shot to introduce your Instagram feed to your trip in NYC! It’s located inside the beautiful Sézane store — which is a clothing brand that created a gorgeous Parisian apartment style store and hangout on Elizabeth Street in Nolita. They decorate the outside depending on the season — we had just caught the fall update the day we went there! The window display is usually full of seasonal flowers and they change the indoor decor as well. You can sit down and have a cup of coffee inside the shop, or shop your heart out — the line is beautiful. *GLAM TIP: Wear your most GLAM shoes (throw them in your bag if you can’t walk in them) and make sure to angle your “shoe-fie” to get the entire “Boujour New York” tile in the shot! Stick your butt out when doing this so the shoes are the focal point!
Location: 254 Elizabeth St
Any locations you think I should add to this list?! Let me know in a comment below and give me all the deets!
4 Comments
Jenny
September 11, 2018 at 6:05 amLove this post so much! What camera do you use? Your pictures are perfect!
Christina
September 11, 2018 at 4:27 pmThanks girl! A lot of these were taken by professional photographers (noted under those photos). The rest were taken with my iPhone 7 Plus! 🙂
Leanne
September 12, 2018 at 5:16 pmI love the ponk dress!!
Frances
April 26, 2019 at 3:22 amGorgeous locations, Christina! I definitely need to work on more glam shots, your angle suggestions are a must try! A photo app I’m a part of features 150+ of New York’s best photo locations and I think you’d be interested! It’s called Explorest – it leads you to the world’s most beautiful photo locations using GPS coordinates & tips by the country’s best photographers. We’ll be expanding to Shanghai and many more places soon! Check it out if you have some spare time! https://www.explorest.com/