Empire in the Last Light
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PrizeBronze in Architecture/Cityscape
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PhotographerYuanfeng Mao, United States
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Instagram
In this photograph, I sought to capture a fleeting, almost sacred moment — when the last light of day brushes the Empire State Building, isolating it in brilliance against the darkening sky. This was not just a study of architecture, but of presence and timing. The city around it begins to dissolve into shadow, while the tower — iconic and unmoved — claims the day’s final glow.
I am Yuanfeng, a photographer based in New York and New Jersey. Since 2023, I have been exploring architecture and cityscapes through my lens, focusing on geometry, light, and the rhythm of urban forms. I often explore the color and emotion of the cityscape during golden hour and blue hour, and I also chase moon alignments that bring a poetic dimension to the urban skyline. My work seeks to capture the dialogue between structure, atmosphere, and celestial moments.
Awards
2025 · International Photography Awards (IPA) · 1st Place, Cityscape — City Reborn at Golden Hour
2025 · European Photography Awards (EPA) · Architecture Category Winner of the Year — Once on the Edge
2025 · European Photography Awards (EPA) · Platinum Winner, Architecture Photography — Moonset over Manhattan
2025 · European Photography Awards (EPA) · Platinum Winner, Architecture Photography — Empire in the Last Light
2025 · Prix de la Photographie Paris (PX3) · 3rd Place, Cityscape — Empire in the Last Light