Central Park Plaza: Hotel Sherry Netherland (Center), Hotel Savoy Plaza (Right), Manhattan, Angle: From 58th Street and Fifth Avenue, Manhattan 1937

Here's a view of Central Park Plaza, including the Hotel Sherry Netherland and the Hotel Savoy Plaza, taken by Berenice Abbott. You can imagine Abbott setting up her camera on 58th Street and Fifth Avenue in Manhattan. There's the bare tree in the foreground, obscuring the grand buildings and the fountain. The way the light falls, you can almost feel the cool air of the city, and the shadows stretching long like they do in winter. Think about what Abbott might have been thinking when she made this photograph. She made a series of pictures of New York, documenting its changing architecture. It’s like she's composing a portrait, each building a character with its own story. This image captures a moment of urban life, a quiet observation of the city's ever-evolving landscape. Just like a painter uses brushstrokes, Abbott used light and shadow to capture a fleeting moment.