New York City and Chivas Regal Whisky: Capturing a City’s Spirit
The festive period often brings time for reflection, and as I revisited some old photography commissions, one project stood out - a shoot in New York City for Chivas Regal Whisky. It’s a rare privilege to work on a project that combines technical challenge, creative freedom, and unforgettable experiences. This was one of those shoots.
Commissioned by Contagious, our task was to create ultra-high-resolution images of the Manhattan skyline for Chivas Regal's airport duty-free campaign. The centrepiece? A massive wall-sized print for a terminal corridor that demanded detail far beyond the capability of stock photography. Alongside this, we contributed to a coffee table book celebrating the brand’s heritage, juxtaposing the timeless style and architecture of New York across decades.
A Shoot Against the Odds
What should have been a five-day spring shoot turned into an adventure from the moment we landed - in the middle of one of the worst snowstorms I’ve ever seen. My first thought if I remember right involved some salty language but roughly translated to “We’re finished before we’ve even started.” But, as any seasoned photographer will tell you, challenges are part of the game. By sunrise, the snow had mostly melted, revealing clear blue skies. From that moment, it was all systems go.
Sunrises and sunsets were spent capturing panoramic cityscapes, while daylight hours were dedicated to the incidental photography that would evoke New York’s iconic energy. Preparation had been key; we arrived with a detailed plan of the locations we wanted to shoot. But even with meticulous research, there’s no substitute for pounding the pavement - sometimes in bone-chilling cold - to find the perfect shot.
The Craft of Ultra-High Resolution
Capturing Manhattan in ultra-high resolution wasn’t just about pointing a camera and clicking. It involved painstaking precision. Using a medium-format camera in portrait orientation, we captured multiple “slices” of the panorama, carefully panning at exact angles to ensure alignment. Back home in Scotland, these slices were stitched together to create seamless, hyper-detailed images. The process was labor-intensive, but the results were worth every effort. These days this technology is readily accessible but we were very much at the cutting edge of this sort of editing.
A Memorable Ride (and Lesson Learned)
Not every memory from the trip involved a camera. One night, I made the rookie mistake of sitting in the front seat of a New York City yellow cab. Picture this: a thin sheet of perspex separating me from a driver who seemed to think traffic laws were merely suggestions. With my colleagues safely tucked in the backseat, I was left to brace myself as we veered across four lanes of traffic at breakneck speed, narrowly missing everything in sight. It was less yellow cab, more Grand Theft Auto joyride. By the time we screeched to a halt I had committed to both a stiff drink and a vow to never, ever sit up front again.
The Final Takeaway
Every photographer dreams of a commission like this - not just for the prestige, but for the sheer creative satisfaction of seeing a challenging vision come to life. The final images were among my proudest, worthy of a frame and a place on my wall.
For me, this project was more than a shoot. It was a reminder of why we do what we do: to push boundaries, tell stories, and create something lasting. Whether it’s braving snowstorms, fast-moving deadlines, or faster-moving cab rides, the journey is always part of the reward.
