The Concrete Jungle - New York

Concrete Jungle where dreams are made of, there's nothing you can't do.... Now your in New York

Alisha Keys couldn't have put it any better, but what does it mean? The concrete Jungle? When I originally thought of this phrase, I pictured huge concrete trees - I guess that is kind of true.

After visiting New York twice, I truly understand what the concrete jungle signifies. New York really is this mass of immense skyscrapers and concrete structures. Manhattan is like nowhere else. he number of tall buildings all vying for position is unreal. Everywhere you look you can see a mixture of glass, concrete, metal and other architectural features. For someone such as myself who hails from a small village in the centre of England, it was initially overwhelming!

It does take some getting used to. As you walk through the streets the concrete jungle surrounds you. If you look up you can feel the buildings bearing down on you - it can feel oppressive! I love it though, nowhere else have I been as captivated with man's constructions. It just enthrals me - the scale, the different architectural styles and the whole city. I could visit again and again and never tire of looking at the skyscrapers.

The best view of the concrete jungle

I've prattled on long enough about the skyscrapers of New York. How can you best see this mass of concrete and metal? On my opinion, the Top of the Rock offers the best views of the New York skyline and it's buildings. Each time I have visited NYC, this is the one place I have wanted to reach first. The GE Building sits at the upper and of Manhattan below Central Park and is easily accessible.

From here you can see for miles. Moreover, the iconic Empire State Building sites neatly in front. The photos you can take from here are out of this world. The second time I visited New York I had my DSLR camera - this meant I could take much better photos.

Furthermore I feel that my compositional skill had improved greatly. These are some of the best photos I have taken for sure. It helped that the weather was clear and the sky was relatively blue. You really gain a sense of the scale of the city and how immense the structures are!

I imagine that other major metropolises such as Tokyo, Shanghai and Hong Kong are equally as impressive. I hope to visit them all one day to compare! For now however, the Concrete Jungle wins hands down for me!