TRIBECA — When the sun goes down, New York City lights up — and photographer Evan Joseph pulls out his camera.
Joseph, a renowned architectural photographer who usually focuses on luxury homes, recently decided to turn his lens instead on the shadows and glare of late-night New York.
From high-rise penthouses and hovering helicopters, Joseph captures glowing, off-kilter views of the city that make even the most familiar landmarks appear strange and magical.
Twenty-three of his enlarged photographs will go on display in New York for the first time this week, in the "Evan Joseph at Night" exhibit at TriBeCa's Tachi Gallery.
"The city has been photographed so many times — it can get stale," said Jane Bassolino, Tachi Gallery's director.
"But these are pretty amazing."
Many of the photographs show the city at dawn or twilight, when the streaking lights from cars on the streets match the fading pinks and oranges in the sky. Behind Joseph's lens, Columbus Circle becomes a swirl of amber, green and blue lights, while the Chrysler Building seen from above sparkles like a diamond ring.
"We weren't planning on having a photography show," Bassolino said of the fledgling Tachi Gallery, which opened over the summer.
But once gallery owner Joseph Scarpinito met Joseph and saw his work, "We just knew we had to have a show for him," Bassolino said.
Joseph published some of his photos earlier this year in a book, "New York City At Night."
He has also photographed the homes of Sting, Lenny Kravitz, Rupert Murdoch, Naomi Campbell and many other celebrities and has been published in many magazines and newspapers including Architectural Digest, Elle Decor and US Weekly.
"Evan Joseph at Night" opens Oct. 27 with a reception from 6 to 9 p.m. at 414 Washington St. The show runs through Jan. 6, 2012.
