[carrrlangas]

Quote:
Guggenheim.
You can only shoot in the lobby :-( You must check your bag.

I was there after new year and they didn´t check my bag and allowed photography all arround the place to everyone.

I also went to the MET, the one that amazed me the most. The collection is incredible and the audio guide is excelent.

[DeadJohn]

Museums with good photo policies include the Museum of Natural History, MoMA, Metropolitan Museum of Art, Museum of the American Indian, Intrepid Sea Air Space. Photos are allowed almost everywhere. Reasonable restrictions include: sometimes a special exhibit on loan has to ban photos as a condition for getting that loan; no backpacks because clumsy people bang into things; no tripods because they block the flow of people; and no flash. Small bags are okay (at least on my visits there).

The Guggenheim and International Center of Photography are notably camera shy.

Be wary visiting no-photography places if you have your DSLR with you. Inconsistent decisions by security guards might make you check the camera and risk theft, or get turned away outright if the bag check staff refuses to accept an expensive camera because they don't want to risk being blamed for theft or damage.

---------- Post added 03-11-14 at 01:30 PM ----------

I was there after new year and they didn´t check my bag and allowed photography all arround the place to everyone.

This reinforces my opinion to avoid the Guggenheim: random security decisions.

[JimJohnson]

It's hard to bring the wrong lens to Manhattan. But you will need to pick your subjects to match your lens. I actually did just fine with a K-r and its 18-55 kit lens a few years ago near Christmas. With dim light, I let the ISO scoot way up there. The noise gave my images a certain grittiness that was well suited to the city. Unless you want spectacular photos of the Statue of Liberty from Battery Park, I would take the 15 and the 18-135 ... and use the 18-135 most of the time. 135 really isn't long enough for the Lady, so you will probably need to crop.


While a tripod might be useful, hauling one around can be a pain. Have you considered a monopod with a quick release?

Buy one without the metal spike. And enter museums using the monopod just like you would a cane, with the camera stored. Tripods are an almost universally banished device in museums. Canes or similar sized walking sticks used in place of a cane (so long as it does not have a metal spike) are often admitted - and so long as you are bold and using it as a walking assistance device. If it is fully collapsed or fully extended when you enter the door, you are out of luck, it is now a piece of photographic gear and you will typically be forced to check it. If asked (rarely happens to me), you didn't want to carry both a cane and a camera support. At worst, staff check for that nasty spike foot. If it is a full rubber boot (and not one of those boot & spike combinations) few museum staff will question your need for a cane. I have toured museums in Europe and North America. In some, I had to check my camera - but never my monopod.

[Flinn]

First trip to the Big Apple and wanted to get some opinions on lens choice. Going to be there this week and there is rain and snow in the forecast so of my lenses listed below I'm leaning towards the DA18-135 WR, DA15 and maybe the Rokinon 8mm Fisheye for fun. Also, would you carry a tripod - I'm thinking yes if I want to try some night shots - just not sure how safe it is to be carrying around this equipment in NY (using the subway and buses as means of transportation) and using it on a tripod at night.

Lenses I own (in case you can't see my signature): DA15, FA31, DFA 100 WR, DA 18-55 WR, DA 18-135 WR and Rokinon 8mm Fisheye..

I'm new to DSLR photography and definitely never really taken pictures in any large cites. Plan on taking pictures of architecture around the city and most likely inside of buildings where allowed. Do the museums allow photography?

Any opinions would be appreciated.

Architecture in NYC isn't much to talk about, unless you like the look of modern office buildings. However, even with that said, using the 8mm should produce some nice views.

[Ira]

Ex-New Yorker here!

1) Wider is better--Manhattan streets are narrow. I can't imagine needing longer than 50 for most stuff.

2) NYC is one of the safest places on Earth these days. This fact pisses off a lot of New Yorker haters, but it's true.

3) No tripod--it's not worth it. NYC streets are busy and crowded. What kind of shots do you think you'll need a tripod for? Unless it's Central Park, which I find really boring photographically unless it's snowing, there are few places you're going to be able to use one--the crowds will knock you down.

4) Plenty of wonderful architecture in NYC if that's your thing. It's one of the three oldest large cities in the country. Often overlooked is the Woolworth building (don't know what it's called now), Chrysler Building, and St. Patrick's--all for incredible INTERIOR shots.

5) Try to devote some time to Greenwich Village (east AND west Village), SoHo (which stands for "South of Houston Street"), and the Lower East Side.

Have FUN! You're gonna love it!