The most expressive way of photographing a building is to put it into some kind of context that conveys an idea. The Empire State Building, one of the tallest structures on earth, and ranked high among New York’s iconic sights, is often pictured by itself. I wanted relate it to its neighbors along 34th street, giving it roots –a sense of place. It was early in the morning, and the rising sun was still low in the sky, bathing its eastern façade in light. The low angle of light also creates massive shadows that fill more than half the frame, and contrast strongly to the delicate spire of the Empire State Building. Even though the surrounding buildings dwarf my subject, the iconic building still dominates the image because it is the only structure surrounded by sky. It stands alone against a rich blue sky, washed in dissolving horizontal jet contrails that link it to its neighbors.