Photographer Pierre-Louis Ferrer is known for using infrared photography to masterfully show a new perspective on well-worn cityscapes. Ferrer’s latest conquest is New York City. INFRA NYC is Ferrer’s infrared reportage of the city, taken after 15 days dedicated solely to documenting every corner of the Big Apple. From Central Park to Coney Island, Ferrer covers Manhattan and Brooklyn in a unique and exciting manner.
After last visiting in 2019, the French photographer had to wait three years before he’d get a chance to document the city. In the interim, he did extensive digital planning so that the only thing he needed to do was select his itinerary each day and set out on an adventure.
Key to Ferrer’s work is his desire to incorporate nature into his compositions. Of course, since plants strongly reflect infrared light and become a deep red color, Ferrer is able to give his work a surreal effect by ensuring they are in each frame. In fact, a secondary theme of this entire series just may be all the unexpected greenery in the urban landscape.
But even in the images where nature does not take center stage, the infrared effect is impressive. “I sometimes enjoyed just focusing on urban areas or human activity rather than on nature, to accentuate the contrast of scale and remind how New York retains its power of attraction intact,” Ferrer admits.
One example of this is Ferrer’s image of Coney Island. The boardwalk is instantly recognizable thanks to the iconic Nathan’s Famous Hot Dogs sign and the carnival games in the background. These iconic sites, which stimulate a sense of nostalgia, provoke an interesting reaction given the slightly “off” coloration that an infrared camera provides. This makes the work familiar yet strange, all at the same time.
Photographer Pierre-Louis Ferrer spent 15 days taking an infrared reportage of New York City.
The French photographer often aimed to incorporate nature into the composition.
But at times, he was also happy just to let the scene unfold and focus on human activity.
The result is a refreshing look at New York City and all that it has to offer.
