Most Beautiful Skylines in the World, as Wall Art for Home or Office

These are the skylines I keep coming back to, the ones with the scale, the light and the architecture to hold their own as a large print on a wall. I have spent years photographing skyscrapers and cityscapes, chasing the vantage points, the reflections and the moments of light that turn a skyline into something you want to look at every day. They work just as well at home as they do in an office or boardroom, where a bold cityscape adds instant character to the space. Below are the cities that consistently deliver that, each one available as a fine art print for your home or office, in the size and material that suits your space.

1. New York, the Manhattan Skyline

The first skyline most people picture is, of course, Manhattan in New York City. It is one of my personal favorites, and one of the few skylines I keep going back to, because it genuinely looks different every time depending on the season, the weather and the time of day. I have photographed it from dozens of angles over the years, but my two favorite viewpoints for a print are both from the Brooklyn side. The first is Old Pier No. 1, shown below.

My favorite of the two, and the one I would pick first for a large print, is the view from Empire Fulton Ferry. From there you get a stunning view of the Lower Manhattan skyline, including the Brooklyn Bridge, with plenty of depth and detail to hold its own on a big wall.

2. Chicago, the Most Beautiful Skyline in the World

Heading further west, you reach what I consider the single most beautiful skyline in the world, Chicago, Illinois. Chicago is also my favorite city for street photography, a true urban paradise for photographers like me. The architecture in this city never fails to amaze me whenever I am there, and it is one of the skylines I most often recommend for a statement piece on the wall.

Just like in New York, there are several spots to photograph the skyline here, but the view from North Avenue Beach inspires me most. From this location you get a beautiful view of the Chicago skyline, with Lake Michigan in the foreground. What I love most about this viewpoint is the symmetry it gives you. The photo below was taken at sunrise, in winter. Lake Michigan was frozen and reflected the Chicago skyline perfectly, exactly the kind of symmetry that makes a print feel almost too good to be real.

3. Toronto, an Underrated Skyline

Before continuing further west, it is worth a quick detour north to Toronto, a skyline that does not get nearly enough credit. It is often overshadowed by its bigger American neighbors, but the view from across the water, with the CN Tower rising above the waterfront, is every bit as striking, and it makes for a print with a bit more of an underrated, conversation starting edge. My favorite spot is the ferry crossing to the Toronto Islands. From Centre Island, the entire skyline lines up neatly across Lake Ontario, and at sunset the glass towers catch the light in a way that is perfect for a long exposure. It is a short trip from downtown, but it feels like a completely different vantage point on the city, and it is one of the skylines I most love to have printed large.

4. San Francisco, Skyline and the Golden Gate Bridge

Traveling further west, we arrive in San Francisco. Cities located on the water always have that little bit extra. Just like in New York, Hong Kong, Chicago and San Francisco, water adds an extra dimension to a skyline print, giving it the reflections and depth that make it worth hanging.

In the photo below you can see the San Francisco skyline, seen from Twin Peaks. This is a fantastic spot to capture the skyline during sunset, and one of my favorite versions of this city for a print.

Of course you cannot leave the city without a photo of the San Francisco skyline together with the most famous and most photographed bridge in the world, the Golden Gate Bridge. On the east side of the bridge there are countless spots with a beautiful view of the city, such as Battery Spencer, Golden Gate View Point, Kirby Beach and Hawk Hill. I have shot from all of them, and you really cannot go wrong at any of these locations.

Below you can see the beautiful San Francisco skyline behind the Golden Gate Bridge, captured at night, during blue hour. This is one of the shots I get asked about most for a living room wall.

5. Los Angeles, the LA and DTLA Skyline

Traveling a bit further south, we arrive in the City of Angels. Although the city itself, the downtown area, does not appeal to me all that much, I do love the LA skyline. Just like the other cities above, there are several spots, both close by and further away, with a great view for photography, and plenty of options if you want a print with a warmer, sunset feel.

My number one spot is Kenneth Hahn Park. With a good zoom lens, you can beautifully combine the mountains and the skyline in one frame from here, as shown in the photo below.

Another viewpoint worth a visit is Mulholland Scenic Overlook, but my favorite spot for a Los Angeles print is Griffith Observatory, in Griffith Park, with its iconic dome framed right in front of the Downtown LA skyline.

I photographed this one at night, when the Observatory’s dome and the Downtown LA skyline behind it are both lit up. It instantly reads as Los Angeles rather than just another city at night, and it is one of the pieces I get asked about most for a bolder, more dramatic wall.

6. Hong Kong, the Most Densely Built Skyline in the World

Leaving the United States for another amazing skyline, we arrive at Hong Kong. This is the most densely built skyline in the world, and one of the most rewarding to photograph. You can take beautiful photos from the Avenue of Stars, day or night, and of course you have an amazing view from Victoria Peak.

The photo below is a panoramic shot which I took from the Avenue of the Stars on a nice, calm day, with the water giving a near perfect reflection of the skyline. It is one of my most detailed prints, and it rewards a larger size on the wall.