Madison Square Garden – Photo Ops

New York City is a shutterbug’s paradise. There are amazing sights to photograph on practically every street corner. This is especially the case in Midtown Manhattan, where iconic, highly Instagrammable landmarks like Empire State Building and Times Square can be found.

Attending an event at the legendary Madison Square Garden puts you right at the bustling heart of Midtown. If that’s where you’ll be headed during your upcoming trip to New York City, make sure to bring your camera or at least free up come space on your smartphone for pictures. You’ll be glad you did once you return home with a slew of great snapshots and selfies.

 

Macy’s Herald Square

At only a block away, Macy’s Herald Square is one of the landmarks closest to Madison Square Garden. Walking there should take no more than five minutes. Just head north down Seventh Avenue and you’ll be there in no time at all.

Wondering what sets this Macy’s apart from the one at your local mall? Well, for starters, it’s the world’s largest Macy’s with a whopping 1,250,000 square feet of space. Its staggering size also makes Macy’s Herald Square the second-largest department store in the world. Not bad for a store that first opened its doors in 1902!

Some great subjects to snap a pic of at Macy’s Herald Square include its iconic façade and the signage out front, the antique wooden escalators that have been in operation for over almost a century, and if you’re lucky enough to be there during Christmastime, the store’s world-famous window displays.

 

James A. Farley Building

The James A. Farley Building is another iconic New York City landmark located just down the street from Madison Square Garden. It was built over a century ago in 1912 alongside the original incarnation of Penn Station.

For almost 100 years, the James A. Farley Building held the distinction of being the only post office in New York City that was open to the public 24 hours a day, seven days a week. That came to an end in 2009 when it began closing at 10 p.m. as a result of the Great Recession.

As of 2019, the James A. Farley Building is undergoing a series of remodels that will turn it into an extension of nearby Penn Station. If construction work is still taking place when you’re there, getting close-ups of unique features like the building’s columns and the inscription of the United States Postal Service creed on its exterior could be a challenge. On the other hand, you’ll get the chance to photograph one of the biggest transformations in New York City history!

 

Empire State Building

The Empire State Building is synonymous with New York City, so deciding whether or not to feature it on our list of photo op spots near Madison Square Garden was a total no-brainer. It’s also located less than a half-mile away from Madison Square Garden, and getting there couldn’t be easier. All you have to do is head west down 33rd Street for a couple blocks until you reach the iconic Art Deco skyscraper.

As you could probably imagine, photo opportunities abound at the Empire State Building. If you’re just passing by, tilt your camera or smartphone skywards to snap a photo of the building as it towers above you. You could also head inside to get some shots of its ornate lobby, which has been famously featured in movies such as Elf and Sleepless in Seattle.

Got some time to kill? Consider heading up to the observation decks on the 86th and 102nd floors. From either one you’ll be able to get some epic bird’s-eye view shots of New York City that are guaranteed to make all your Instagram followers jealous.

 

High Line

The High Line got its start as an elevated spur of the New York Central Railroad that ran above the west side of Manhattan. Today it’s a picturesque public park, a change which began taking place in 2006. As you walk along the High Line’s 1.45-mile span, which is only a nine-minute walk from Madison Square Garden at the closest point, you’ll come across lush greenery, art installations, and more.

Two of the most Instagrammable features of the High Line are the Chelsea Thicket and the 14th Street Passage. As its name would suggest, the Chelsea Thicket is a section of the High Line between 21st Street and 22nd Street that’s rife with dogwoods, bottlebrush buckeye, hollies, and other dense shrubs and trees. The 14th Street Passage is a semi-enclosed passage that, come sundown, showcases High Line Channel 14, an outdoor video program.

 

Times Square

Times Square is New York City in a nutshell; it’s loud, chaotic, and full of life. It’s also a great place to snap some photos while you’re in town visiting Madison Square Garden. Getting to Times Square from the Garden takes a bit longer than the previously mentioned photo op stops on our list, but it’s still only about a 15-minute walk straight down Seventh Avenue.

Hopefully you’ve got plenty of time to take some photos of all the cool places around Times Square, such as the Hard Rock Cafe, Disney Store, and M&M’s World. If not, a few quick pics of One Times Square, the billboard-adorned skyscraper where the annual New Year’s Eve ball drop takes place, will surely suffice.

 

Flatiron Building

The Flatiron Building might not be as tall, sleek, or stylish as some of the other skyscrapers in New York City, but it’s certainly one of the most iconic thanks to its distinct wedge shape. There’s a whole neighborhood named after it, after all! Walking from Madison Square Garden to the Flatiron Building and the neighborhood that bears its name takes about 15 minutes.

Originally known as the Fuller Building, the Flatiron Building got its name because of the triangular plot of land where it was built. The plot, which had been known as “Eno’s flatiron” prior to the building’s construction, is formed by the intersections of Broadway, Fifth Avenue, and 22nd and 23rd Street.

If you’re traveling around New York City with a companion, one fun photo idea is to take pictures of one another posing in front of the narrowest point of the Flatiron Building, which brushes up against 23rd Street. Conveniently enough, the Flatiron Public Plaza is located right across the street, so you won’t have to worry about dodging traffic as you try to get the perfect shot.

 

Morgan Library & Museum

If you’re a lover of literature, the Morgan Library & Museum is chock full of one-of-a-kind photo opportunities. The Morgan got its start in 1906 as the private library of John Pierpont Morgan Sr., better known as J.P. Morgan. Since then, it has grown into a complex of buildings that houses a collection of rare texts and other materials, such as important music manuscripts, early children’s books, Americana, and more.

Getting to the Morgan Library & Museum from Madison Square Garden only takes about 15 minutes on foot. Once you’re there, head inside and prepare to be amazed. Almost every aspect of this museum is worth photographing, especially the three rooms and rotunda that make up J.P. Morgan’s library. Want to show your Instagram followers how much of a bookworm you are? Snap a selfie in front of one of the book-lined walls of the library’s East Room.