paolo pettigiani sees new york city’s central park in pink and blue 
all images courtesy paolo pettigiani

 

 

 

in the otherwise cool grey landscape of new york’s largely architectural atmosphere, paolo pettigiani sees the city saturated in a sea of vibrant color. from within manhattan’s unmatched natural haven of central park, the italian photographer points his lens towards the urban sprawl, documenting the setting and sights with an infrared camera. ‘the purpose is to highlight the majesty and the contrast of nature included in the famous big apple’s skyscrapers,’ pettigiani says. for the project ‘infrared NYC’, pettigiani continues his exploration of infrared landscapes, previously shot in the small town of avigliana in torino.

 

the series invites viewers into a world unseen, as eyes cannot fully see infrared light. using a camera filter, bright whites visualize instead as turquoise, whereas darker tones in the frame materialize as cotton-candy pink. the metropolis is transformed from grassy expanses and towering buildings to a surreal urban vision, almost unreal in its colorful quality.

paolo-pettigiani-infrared-new-york-city-designboom-02
the photographer captures views of the city saturated in a sea of vibrant color

paolo-pettigiani-infrared-new-york-city-designboom-02
the photos have been shot from within manhattan’s natural haven of central park

paolo-pettigiani-infrared-new-york-city-designboom-02
paolo pettigiani points his lens towards the urban sprawl

paolo-pettigiani-infrared-new-york-city-designboom-02
the photographer documents the setting and sights with an infrared camera

paolo-pettigiani-infrared-new-york-city-designboom-02
the series invites viewers into a world unseen

paolo-pettigiani-infrared-new-york-city-designboom-02
bright whites visualize as turquoise, and darker tones materialize as cotton-candy pink

paolo-pettigiani-infrared-new-york-city-designboom-02
the surreal urban vision is almost unreal in its colorful quality