Brooklyn Photographer Showcases City Life From Rooftops For 'Intersection NYC' Project

By Annie Reuter

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) – While his photography may induce feelings of vertigo for some, by giving a sense of falling from a New York City skyscraper, artist Navid Baraty says he's not scared of heights.

In fact, in order to get that perfect shot, he often hovers over the edge.

"I just lean over as much as I feel comfortable doing. My concern mainly is dropping my camera. I have it strapped around my arms pretty well in case it slips, hopefully it won't fall," he told CBSNewYork.

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The Brooklyn-based photographer was eating lunch in Japan when he first thought of the idea to capture Tokyo from the high-rise restaurant.

Photos: See the vertigo-inducing pictures of Intersection NYC

"It was a rainy day and it was interesting seeing all the little umbrellas walking on the intersection. So, it gave me an idea to try and do that in different cities just to see the cities from above," he said.

Since then, he has brought Intersection Tokyo to New York. From above, he captures the familiar hustle and bustle of city life - from an unfamiliar point of view.

"You get such a different perspective from above that you just don't see on the street level," Baraty said. "When you're on the street it feels so chaotic and hectic, there are people everywhere. When you're above you feel so detached from everything and you can reflect on how the city flows."

Baraty moved to New York last summer from San Francisco to pursue freelance photography and has access to rooftops through his work. While he has shot locations in Midtown, Chelsea, Union Square and the Financial District, he says the goal is to feature every New York neighborhood. Additionally, he says Midtown is one of his favorite locations to shoot.

"Midtown is very busy and hectic during the day. There's so much traffic and so many people and so much going on that you really see a lot from above. I like that aspect of it," he said. "It's very inspiring just walking around the City. You feel the energy. Every day I can walk the same street and find something different to photograph. It's always changing."

A world traveler, Baraty recently visited India after he won a photography competition and hopes to continue his travels. But for now, he's happy to be in New York.

"I've only been in New York for a year, so there's so much more to explore. It's just something that I never get tired of doing. I like creating art and being able to share that with people."

For more on Baraty, add him on Facebook or Twitter and view his work on his Website.

Annie Reuter is a freelance writer and the founder of YouSingIWrite.com.