Empire in the first light

Photographer

Yuanfeng Mao

Category

Architecture Photography - Cityscapes

Company

Submission Group

Amateur

Year

2025

Country / Region:

United States

In this photograph, I sought to capture a fleeting, almost sacred moment — when the first light of day brushes the Empire State Building, isolating it in brilliance against the darkening sky. This was not just a study of architecture, but of presence and timing. The city around it is still in shadow, while the tower — iconic and unmoved — claims the day’s first glow.