Waldorf-Astoria Hotel (and Neighbors), NYC, 2017.
All the opulent, if somewhat dated, pixels at https://www.flickr.com/photos/mattblaze/32609074081
#photography
This was captured with a DSLR and a 19mm shifting lens, from a balcony of another building.
It’s mostly an exercise in angles and symmetry. The wedge-shaped dark cloud that appeared overhead, following the lines of the buildings, created a fortuitous moment.
The Waldorf was closed for an extensive renovation shortly after this was made and has not yet fully re-opened. Many of the rooms are being converted into condo apartments.
The Waldorf-Astoria is perhaps New York’s most prominent monument to jazz age luxury and glamor. It’s been the traditional residence for US presidents and foreign heads of state when in town (the “presidential suite” was meant rather literally there).
Built over the below-grade railyard of Grand Central Terminal, the hotel was equipped with a private rail siding and platform where guests could park their personal railcars(!). (Andy Warhol once threw a party on the platform.)
@mattblaze@federate.social spent two nights there on my one and only visit to Manhattan, so far. Oddly configured room that looked like piece of an old suite chopped-up, but staying there was a great experience.
