Central park engagement photography by nyc wedding photographer michael dempsey photography. This photo was taken in front of the Gapstow bridge. Curving gracefully over the neck of the Pond at 59th Street, Gapstow is one of the iconic bridges of Central Park. It is the second bridge on the site. The first, a much more elaborate wood and iron bridge, designed by Jacob Wrey Mould, deteriorated and was replaced in 1896. The bridge offers postcard views of the surrounding cityscape. Facing south, you can see the famed Plaza Hotel and distinctive New York skyscrapers rising from above the Park’s trees. Look southward in the winter and you’ll see Wollman Rink’s twirling skaters; in the warmer months you’ll see the colorful amusements of Victorian Gardens.

The photo was taken at The Mall in Central Park. The Mall, a quadruple row of American elms, is Central Park’s most important horticultural feature, and one of the largest and last remaining stands of American Elm trees in North America. The elms form a cathedral-like canopy above the Park’s widest pedestrian pathway. and are one of the Parks most photographed features. The quarter-mile pedestrian path is the only intentional straight line inside the Park’s walls. Taking care of these trees is a full-time job for the Central Park Conservancy’s tree crew. Each of the Park’s thousands of trees are entered into a database, so they can be monitored by the Conservancy. The trees of Central Park have an important impact on the urban environment. They improve the quality of our air and water; reduce storm water runoff, flooding and erosion; and lower the air temperature in the summer. This is why Central Park is called the lungs of New York City. The southern end of the Mall is known as Literary Walk. The statue of Christopher Columbus is the odd man out, since 4 of the 5 tributes here depict prominent writers. Nearby are Scottish poet Robert Burns and his compatriot, Scottish novelist Sir Walter Scott. A little farther north is Fitz-Greene Halleck, the first statue of an American to be placed in the Park. Ten years after his death, he was still so beloved that over 30,000 adoring fans came to the unveiling of his statue by President Rutherford B. Hayes and his entire cabinet. Today hardly anyone knows his poetry or his name, but everyone remembers their visit to the Mall. Central park engagement photography.

This photo was taken in the Betheesda Terrace. The Minton tile ceiling in the arcade of Bethesda Terrace was created in the 1860s. It is one of the Park’s main architectural features. A grand staircase connects the Mall to the subterranean arcade. Made up of 49 panels, the ceiling features almost 16,000 elaborately patterned encaustic tiles, handmade by England’s renowned Minton and Company. Not fully indoors or outdoors, the arcade was conceived as an open-air reception hall that would provide visitors with shelter from rain and heat. The highlight of the arcade is the magnificent Minton Tile ceiling designed by British-born architect and designer, Jacob Wrey Mould, who also conceived of the decorative carvings throughout the Terrace. Encaustic tiles, originally created to cover floors, are made of individual colored clays pressed and fired into the tile to form the design. The arcade at Bethesda Terrace is the only place in the world where these Minton tiles are used for a ceiling. The niches that flank the walls of the arcade are covered with trompe l’oeil paintings that resemble the colored stone inlay design that was never completed. Over the decades, the 50-ton ceiling deteriorated. In 1983, the tile panels were removed and placed in storage because of extensive damage. The restoration of the ceiling hinged on necessary funding, which the Conservancy obtained by 2004. Thanks to generous individuals and foundations, the Conservancy was able to accomplish this challenging restoration. Reopened in March 2007, the tile ceiling reflects the light coming from Bethesda Terrace and the Mall and transforms the arcade from a dark passageway to a glorious jewel box of pattern, color, and light.