Designer Anton Repponen has created a photo series that 'misplaces' famous New York architecture.
Designer Anton Repponen has created a photo series that 'misplaces' famous New York architecture.
Anton Repponen
He edits the images to remove buildings from their busy city environments.
He edits the images to remove buildings from their busy city environments.
Anton Repponen
He then places them against desolate landscapes, using photographs from his travels to Peru, Brazil and Hawaii.
He then places them against desolate landscapes, using photographs from his travels to Peru, Brazil and Hawaii.
Anton Repponen
He began working on this series in September 2015.
He began working on this series in September 2015.
Anton Repponen
In order to create each image, Repponen first takes multiple photographs of the same building from different angles.
In order to create each image, Repponen first takes multiple photographs of the same building from different angles.
Anton Repponen
He then layers several of the images on top of each other, to accurately depict the building without any shadows or distractions from neighboring buildings or branding.
He then layers several of the images on top of each other, to accurately depict the building without any shadows or distractions from neighboring buildings or branding.
Anton Repponen
He then draws over the compilation of images to create clean lines and fix shadows.
He then draws over the compilation of images to create clean lines and fix shadows.
Anton Repponen
According to Repponen, this series depicts the buildings as the architect had intended, by removing them from distracting elements and placing them as the center of attention.
According to Repponen, this series depicts the buildings as the architect had intended, by removing them from distracting elements and placing them as the center of attention.
Anton Repponen
"My idea was to photograph these buildings and restore them to how the architect saw them in the first place"
"My idea was to photograph these buildings and restore them to how the architect saw them in the first place"
Anton Repponen
"I chose to position each building in a desert surrounding, so that all your attention is focused on the architecture."
"I chose to position each building in a desert surrounding, so that all your attention is focused on the architecture."
Anton Repponen
New york architecture laid bare

Story highlights

A new photo series strips New York's architecture to its bare bones

It 'misplaces' the city's famous buildings against desolate abandoned landscapes

CNN  — 

The New Yorkers won’t be happy. The city’s most famous buildings – the Chrysler, the Guggenheim Museum – have been uprooted to some of the world’s most deserted landscapes.

Luckily, it’s all just a photo manipulation trick, rather than an actual raid of New York’s architecture.

American designer Anton Repponen began the project last September. He wanted to remove the iconic buildings from the buzz of New York, so they could be fully appreciated.

“Sometimes incredible buildings get lost in all the noise. They disappear behind the cars on the street or the branded coffee shops around the corner. I wanted to showcase them as the architect had intended.”

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To complete the 11-image series, Repponen spent hours photographing the same building.

“In each image, the shot of the building is actually composed of several different shots. For example, with the Breuer Building, the left corner is an image that I took one day, the right corner is from a shot taken on another day. I compile these different images together and draw over them to clean them up the shadows and lines.”

He places the finished images against bare landscapes, such as deserts and volcanoes, using images from his travels to places such as Peru, Brazil and Hawaii.