Shooting SoHo Cast-Iron Facades
Shooting historic cast iron in mid-July heat takes more than a phone and an attitude. Glare off painted iron blows out your highlights, and summer humidity turns these buildings into ovens. Here is how to work with Manhattan's cast-iron architecture without ruining the editorial.
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Greene Street Between Prince and Spring
This block holds the densest concentration of late-19th-century cast-iron in the world. The deep window recesses give natural shadows even in harsh midday summer light, which adds depth to your backdrop.
Angle your model five feet off the facade. The ambient bounce off beige painted iron works like a giant beauty dish.
The King of Greene Street (28-30 Greene)
Designed by Isaac Duckworth in 1872, this mansard-roofed building dominates the frame. The shadow lines on the upper tiers give an expensive, European editorial feel in Lower Manhattan.
Position the camera low on the sidewalk looking up to emphasize both the model's length and the building's massive columns.
Broome Street & Mercer Fire Escapes
Cast iron meets wrought-iron fire escapes. The overlapping metal grates cut harsh summer sunlight into high-contrast shadow patterns on the sidewalk.
Use the shadow cast by the bottom fire escape landing as a natural vignette to ground your subject.
The Little Singer Building (561 Broadway)
A 12-story blend of wrought iron, cast iron and deep red terracotta. The dark green ironwork against baked clay makes a warm backdrop that feels like autumn in the middle of July.
Watch out for Broadway traffic; stick to the sidewalk edge and shoot wide open to blur out passing cabs.
That's the inside look. Save this one for your next shoot.
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Fashion and editorial photography for brands, designers, and models in NYC.
NYC Fashion & Editorial Photographer