Without a doubt, I had to go to New York City at one point in my life. I had to walk down 5th Avenue in Manhattan, had to run in Central Park and had to listen to a jazz trio at the legendary Birdland.

I took this photo series during my first few hours after arriving at JFK airport. It was late afternoon, when my wife and I were catching a cab. As we drove through Brooklyn, the city skyline gradually came closer and closer towards us. 

It seemed to me, that this city was just built for movies to be made here. New York really felt like a slice of Gotham, a night with Carrie and the girls, or a ghost hunt with the Ghost Busters.

At Union Square, we got out of the cab and passed New Yorkers walking by, rushing to their next meeting with a coffee and their smartphones. When we finally entered our hotel room, we left the loud and busy city behind us for a few hours. Finally, it was quiet. Finally, we were there. But not quite, yet. I could already feel the pulse of the city, but it was still ahead of us to discover. 

My photo series focuses on documenting exactly this period of time: the first arrival, glances out of the window, the nap after a transcontinental flight or browsing through event calendars and city magazines.

Right here is the moment when all expectations are at their peak. It is perhaps the most beautiful and fulfilling part of a trip. Hermann Hesse was right when he said:
«in all beginnings dwells a magic force».