Thousands of visitors took photos from One World Trade Center’s 100th floor Observatory in New York City this weekend when it opened to the public—but nothing can compare to these pictures of the observatory at dawn on the day it opened.
Getty’s Spencer Platt visited the Observatory at dawn, before the iPad-wielding crowds arrived. He shot the double-height space as sunrise broke over the city, capturing “last minute prep” before the space opened publicly. In his photos, you can see the WTC’s maintenance team washing and polishing the floors, while other employees get ready to fire up the digital displays that are a focus of the space.
All images by Spencer Platt/Getty.
They’re amazing photos, not just because of the view, but because they show us what this space looks like when it’s not crowded. For a glimpse of what that looks like, the AP’s Bebeto Matthews has a series of photos of the first tourists arriving at the Observatory. These are perfect in their own way, too—mostly, because they perfectly capture How We Tourist Now.
Images by Bebeto Matthews/AP
Contact the author at kelsey@Gizmodo.com.
DISCUSSION
People, please for the love of dog! Please stop bringing your iPads places and using them as cameras!
Nobody wants to look at your fucking iPad display when they are at a tourist place. Use a fucking camera, or your phone at the most!