About this Event
Please note: this is a night walk. We start in the last of the daylight, but most of our time will be spent in blue hour and after dark. Come ready for low light and the cold.
The tree is beautiful at night. The best moment, though, is the in-between: when the sky turns deep blue and the lights take over the scene.
This is a 90-minute guided PhotoStroll around Rockefeller Center. We'll catch the last light, stay through sunset (about 4:30pm) and blue hour, and finish in full dark at Radio City and along 5th Avenue. You'll practice seeing how the light changes and photographing that shift as it happens.
Along the way I'll share practical low-light tips, like how to hold steady at slower shutter speeds, why blue hour often beats full dark for the tree, and how to work with holiday crowds instead of fighting them.
All levels welcome. Any camera works, including your phone.
Where to meet: On the steps of St. Patrick's Cathedral, 5th Avenue at 50th Street. Please arrive by 3:55pm so we can start on time.
What to bring: Any camera (phone is fine), a fully charged battery plus a spare (cold drains batteries fast), warm layers, gloves you can shoot in, and comfortable walking shoes.
Good to know: Plan to shoot handheld. Tripods generally aren't allowed on Rockefeller Center's plaza, and the crowds make them impractical anyway. It's a December Saturday, so expect it to be busy. We'll move together and regroup at each stop.
Small group: Limited to 8 spots so everyone gets attention, even in the crowds.
Your guide: Ocie Clelland, photographer and educator, OCP Studios. ocpstudios.myportfolio.com
Agenda
4:00pm · Meet at St. Patrick's Cathedral
Info: Quick welcome on the cathedral steps, plus a short low-light briefing before we head across 5th Ave.
4:05pm · Last light at Channel Gardens
Info: Cross 5th Ave and shoot the gardens, the Atlas statue and building details in the fading daylight.
4:20pm · The tree at blue hour
Info: We get in position before sunset (about 4:30) and stay through blue hour. Challenge: shoot the same frame every 10 minutes and watch the light change.
5:00pm · Radio City at night
Info: Full dark. The lit marquee, reflections and street energy on 6th Ave.
5:15pm · 5th Ave windows and wrap-up
Info: Holiday windows and light trails on our way back up 5th Ave, then a short wrap-up. We finish by 5:30pm.
Event venue & nearby stays
St. Patrick's Cathedral, 5th Avenue, New York, United States
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