New York from Above

New York, when viewed at ground level, is a messy city - in the best and worst senses of the word - a polyglot mix of people, in all shapes, sizes, and dress. That is why the only way to get a full picture of what the city looks like is to follow photographer Michael Yamashita's axiom - 'Go high'. There is a preponderance of ways to accomplish this: by leg-power - say, climbing to the top of the Statue of Liberty for a view of Manhattan from the south or mounting the steps of Riverside Church for a view from the north; the rooftop observation decks on the 86th and 102nd floors of the Empire State Building or the Top of the Rock observation deck on Rockefeller Center. For birds-eye-view thrills, a helicopter is in order. But far easier is to settle into a comfortable chair and tour all the many aspects of Manhattan from the air in these pages. Minus the vertigo.