An advertisement on the corner of Reade Street and West Broadway. All images from Paul Tran.

It is uncommon to encounter the imposing edifices of New York City in a way that puts them so squarely before you. 25-year-old New York City native, Paul Tran, a trained architect and fashion design candidate, brings us precisely this unique and compelling view of architecture around the city. Although his photographs focus on the middle and top of the buildings, all of them were taken from street level, then Photoshopped to correct the image distortion.

In these photographs, the structures look us in the eye and give a friendly hello. Then the varied lighting in the photos comes in and brings out the many shades that New York City has to offer. Says Tran of the collection, “The photographs are an exploration of documenting the city at different moments of day. The reflection onto building facades not only reveals the inherent history of each building, but it also superimposes a new layer of meaning, thereby creating a dialogue amongst the architecture of the city.”

7th Avenue and 58th Street above the restaurant Petrossian

41st Street between 9th and 10th Avenue

 

06 tranA ghost ad on Lafayette Street that offering a variety of mechanical services

07 tranNear Times Square

01 tranThis ghost ad can be seen from the High Line in Chelsea.

The Thomson Meter Company building on Bridge Street and York Street in Brooklyn was once an Eskimo Pie factory

Carnegie Hall

To see the rest of the photographs in the collection check out Paul Tran’s website.