When I first started taking pictures back in middle and high school, I wasn’t comfortable photographing people, so I was in love with still life and nature photography. I would spend as much time as I could just finding pretty flowers, cool shops, and sometimes unsuspecting strangers to photograph. Last month, I was in New York City for a week and took the opportunity to return to my roots of just photographing anything interesting that I came across without expectations or rules. This post is dedicated to New York City still life photography.

My trip to New York City came at such a great time for me. Lately, I’ve been shooting less for myself and primarily for clients, which has left me almost resenting my camera! I hardly ever touch my camera or take pictures if it’s not for something work-related and that’s just heartbreaking because I never want my job to take the fun out of my passion. Being able to take pictures without any pressure during my week in New York City was incredibly refreshing and liberating. I made memories for myself and captured what my heart and eye were naturally led to. Also, it didn’t hurt that I was using my brand new Canon 5D Mark IV!

Brunch with my sister at The Rabbit Hole in Williamsburg, the Union Square Park farmer’s market, the Manhattan Bridge, the Commes Des Garcon exhibit at The Met with Laura and her sister, Central Park, The Oculus, and the most beautiful cotton candy sunset at The River Cafe in Brooklyn. My favorite image in this set? The black and white one of a staircase. That picture was taken in my grandma’s apartment building in Brooklyn. I’ve probably walked up and down those stairs a hundred times in my life, but I know my mom and my grandma have too…probably a thousand times! My grandma has lived there for a very long time and whenever I visit her, I just imagine what it was like 40, 50, 60 years ago. I love the way the light falls right there.

All of these images were processed with Rebecca Lily’s beautiful film-inspired presets. Check them out here!