Bright Lights, Big City

Growing up in Ireland, I always wanted to live in the USA. In 2004, I packed up and shipped off to NYC to chase a childhood dream. From the moment I landed I could feel the energy in the city. It seeped into my veins and I made all the silly mistakes newcomers make when they move to New York. I paid way too much for stuff in overpriced tourist-traps, took the subway in the wrong direction, and engaged the CD sellers in Times Square.

Unlike anywhere else, you learn fast in NYC! If you don't the city will spit you out and find a new victim! But, after you endure her testing, you become part of the city and an extension of her spirit. I quickly became a New Yorker and was proud to label myself as such.

It wasn't until I picked up a camera, though, that I saw the true beauty of this concrete jungle that adopted me. Through that lens I found a new playground. I made it my mission to soak up all the iconic architecture the city has to offer. From bridges, to Flat Irons, to Trade Centers, to the most iconic building in the world—The Empire State Building—I wanted it all.

I was then introduced to aerial photography by some of my peers, which only fueled my addiction to capture this metropolis. Seeing the city from above, as millions of people go about their daily lives, is the ultimate adrenaline rush. The wind rushing in your face as you freeze that moment in time is a gift that I will cherish forever.