Seen At 11: 'Rooftoppers' Risk Their Lives To Take Pictures From Heart-Stopping Heights
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- New York is recognized around the world for its remarkable skyline.
But for some, the temptation to photograph that view involves illegal, sometimes death-defying risks.
As CBS2's Alice Gainer reported, photographer James McNally's toes can be seen hanging over a ledge in his breathtaking, heart-stopping pictures. He often perches hundreds, sometimes thousands of feet above the ground and he's never tethered to anything.
"My goal there is to make as compelling and gripping a photo as possible, and so if dangling a foot over the edge a few inches helps, then why not?" he said.
McNally is known as a "rooftopper," a type of urban explorer who's ultimate prize is a photograph taken from an inaccessible roof, a dangerous ledge, or even a spire.
"There are some places to be totally honest, I'll get there, take out my camera out immediately, shoot for a few minutes, and leave as quickly as possible," he said.
That's because he's usually there illegally. McNally has been arrested twice, after images he posted caught the attention of police.
"I wish that things transpired a little differently, but as far as getting on the radar of those people very much not surprised," he said.
McNally was recently in a Manhattan court to face four misdemeanor counts.
The building that's pressing charges is 70 Pine Street. The stealth climb and photo shoot were captured with a GoPro.
"The illegal trespass of our Art Deco landmark tower was a dangerous act and we will continue to protect our property as necessary," the building said in a statement.
The risks are serious. A so-called "rooftopper" was killed last December when he fell from scaffolding at the Four Seasons hotel, where he was reportedly trying to take pictures.
McNally insists that his preparation is meticulous, but retired NYPD Sgt. Joe Giacalone said safety and legal implications are too big to be ignored.
"The owners of the property don't want this happening because eventually there's going to be a tragedy where one of these guys is going to slip and fall," he said.
At the very least, McNally is facing fines and possibly jail time.
"They're trying to send a message. If anyone else does this I already got this guy arrested. I'm going to have you arrested too," Giacalone explained.
McNally takes the charges against him seriously, but said he also approaches his climbs seriously with weeks or months of planning.
He's concerned about less experienced copycat photographers who may really put themselves in danger.