New York from Above
“Ok Derek, you can unbuckle your seatbelt now.”
I went up in a helicopter on Sunday. You’d think for my first time I’d take a nice leisurely cruise down the river. Nope, helicopters don’t need doors and I wanted to dangle my feet over the Brooklyn Bridge.
![](https://derekhayn.com/media/pages/blog/new-york-from-above/a632fabe1f-1641418741/hayn2016-9855.jpg)
What ensued was the fastest 12 minutes of my life:
First up, Midtown. I love you, but I’m saving your closeup for the next flight.
![](https://derekhayn.com/media/pages/blog/new-york-from-above/6c288f9f73-1641418680/hayn2016-9840.jpg)
![](https://derekhayn.com/media/pages/blog/new-york-from-above/73ea22c16d-1641418733/hayn2016-9915.jpg)
![](https://derekhayn.com/media/pages/blog/new-york-from-above/5ce95afd48-1641418712/hayn2016-9803.jpg)
One WTC? Meh, full throttle Christi, we’re on a mission. Currently traveling at close to 150 MPH, btw.
![](https://derekhayn.com/media/pages/blog/new-york-from-above/fc0c0e6b5e-1641418729/Hayn2016-9921.jpg)
![](https://derekhayn.com/media/pages/blog/new-york-from-above/23b79e10df-1641418686/hayn2016-9818.jpg)
“We usually fly out and circle the Statue of Liberty.”
Pfft… I can see it from here. Get me to the Brooklyn Bridge.
![](https://derekhayn.com/media/pages/blog/new-york-from-above/b7f3b5ccc2-1641418697/hayn2016-9890.jpg)
Hello gorgeous.
![](https://derekhayn.com/media/pages/blog/new-york-from-above/3de0f7d2d5-1641418693/hayn2016-9871.jpg)
![](https://derekhayn.com/media/pages/blog/new-york-from-above/64ee46417d-1641418705/hayn2016-9845.jpg)
![](https://derekhayn.com/media/pages/blog/new-york-from-above/130d68e26e-1641418727/1_hayn2016-9865.jpg)
Photo notes:
I was joined on this flight by two wonderful New York photographers, J.N. Silva and Steve Sweatpants. Silva advised that anything above a shutter speed of 200 should be fine. I would add that if you’re shooting aperture priority to set a minimum shutter speed of 200 and let the ISO creep up a little. You don’t want to be messing around with photo settings too much while in the air and a couple of my shots into the shadows dipped below 200 and resulted in slightly blurry images.