Stunning Photographs Find The “Hidden City” Inside New York

Navid Baraty started taking the pictures by accident. He was up in a skyscraper high above New York City, doing his best to take an aerial photograph the low-tech way: by holding the camera in front of him, pointed straight down (and thus keeping him from checking the frame himself), and hoping for the best. When he looked at the pictures, he was shocked to find that the glass building he was atop was so clean and sharp, it reflected the city back to him — creating the impression of one, big cityscape. Or, as he came to call the series, a hidden city inside this one.

For city dwellers, they offer a unique perspective on the streets we drive and sidewalks we walk — images of beauty, with a symmetry that would make Wes Anderson weep. Here are some of our favorites; check out more of Baraty’s work on his website, or follow him on Instagram.