10 Perfect Backgrounds For Unique Photographs In Dowtown Manhattan

Home to New York University’s Deutsches Haus, La Maison Française, China House, and other academic departments, Washington Mews is a private, gated street located one block north of Washington Square Park. Originally horse stables, then having served as artist studios in the early 20th century, NYU purchased Washington Mews in 1950. The cobblestone streets, ivy covered walls, and large windows are reminiscent of the French countryside and serve as an enchanting visual oasis.

Look beyond the eclectic restaurants and new luxury condo buildings and uncover the remnants of the original Lower East Side, which tells the stories of immigrants who passed through this (formerly) most densely-populated place on Earth. The surplus of synagogues, churches, cultural centers, and ethnic food shops serve as a reminder of the diverse groups of people who moved here after passing through Ellis Island and the dedication they had to preserving their unique cultures while adapting to their new home in New York.

Lower East Side, From Canal Street to Houston Street between Bowery and the East River, New York, NY, USA

Tree-lined streets and beautifully manicured gardens accompany elegant brownstones outside Washington Square Park. Pose on a stoop à la Carrie Bradshaw for a picture.

Washington Square North, Between 5th Avenue and University Place, New York, NY, USA

Thanks to the L.I.S.A. Project (Little Italy Street Art), there has been a fantastic surge in brightly painted murals and designs around Little Italy. A particularly popular mural is ‘Audrey on Mulberry‘, painted by Tristan Eaton. Find other murals in Little Italy and the Lower East Side while wandering.

‘Audrey on Mulberry’, 385 Broome Street Suite A, New York, NY, USA

Four decades ago the Meatpacking District was not home to extravagant restaurants and chic boutiques—it was a breeding ground for drug dealing and prostitution, not a popular destination on the engagement photography circuit as it has become. Cobblestone streets and large, unique spaces along with vast street art bring together an eclectic mix of new and old New York.

Meatpacking District, From West 14th Street to Gansevoort Street between the Hudson River and Hudson Street, New York, NY, USA

The mostly residential neighborhood of the West Village is quintessential romantic comedy Manhattan—tree-lined cobblestone streets, beautiful brownstones and charming cafés and restaurants such as Sweet Revenge monopolize this neighborhood, which extends from West 14th to Houston between the Hudson River and Sixth Avenue.

Sweet Revenge, 62 Carmine Street, New York, NY, USA +1 212 242 2240