When you think of Central Park, the first things that come to your mind are probably massive crowds of people and warm sunshine. New Jersey-based photographer Michael Massaia, however, stays up late at night to make sure he captures views of the iconic park that few ever witness, and his results are positively haunting.
Back in 2007, Massaia developed a serious case of insomnia. "I sometimes go through long periods of time where I can’t sleep... I would go for long walks..." he told ND Magazine. But rather than seeking medication or therapy, he decided to do something productive with his lucid after-hours; he began photographing the vacant landscapes he came across in large format, using the dawn's faint illumination as his only lighting. Living near the Big Apple, his strolls eventually led him to Central Park, which he shot numerous times between 2008 and 2014.
"The park appears to go through a period of metamorphosis during those late night/early morning hours," he wrote on his official website. "And I was determined to capture it." Taken on black and white film, Massaia's photos truly show Central Park like most of the world has never seen before - empty, isolating, and eerie. Scroll down to see each bone-chilling shot and its location in the park.
