The Faces of the NYC Marathon: Shooting the Crowd

Two million people come out to watch the NYC Marathon, and many of them are the best subjects on the course. Signs, cheer squads, bands and neighborhood character make some of the strongest frames of the day, and nobody else is covering them.

Why the crowd is worth your time

Most photographers point their lenses at the runners. The crowd is the story of how the race feels: a child holding a sign, a church choir on a corner, a band in an empty lot, a family that has stood in the same spot for years. It is also less competitive than the finish line, and the people in the frames are exactly the ones who will want the photo.

What to look for

Signs. Handmade signs are the funniest and most personal part of any marathon. Shoot the sign, the person holding it and the runner reacting.
Cheer squads. Run clubs, charity teams and school groups make loud, colorful clusters. A Charity Cheer Zone is listed at First Avenue and 120th Street.
Bands and performers. Music along the course gives you motion, color and energy. Shoot from the side so you can include the audience.
Reactions. The best frames show a spectator spotting their runner. Watch faces, not the road, and be ready.
Borough character. Each stretch has its own mood: Fourth Avenue in Bay Ridge, Bedford Avenue in Williamsburg, the roar of First Avenue, Mott Haven in the Bronx on the new 2026 route, and Fifth Avenue as runners head to the park.

Gear and settings

A 35mm or 50mm lens, or a 24-70mm zoom, keeps you close without getting in the way.
Use 1/500 s or faster for moving people, and keep aperture around f/2.8 to f/4 to separate faces from the background.
Use continuous autofocus and shoot short bursts when a moment is building.
Look at the light. Faces lit from the side look best, and November sun is low all day.

Working with people

This is a public event, but be respectful. Smile, say thanks and ask before shooting a close portrait of someone. If a spectator asks you to delete a photo or not to publish it, do so. For sales, think about who is in the frame. Photos of identifiable people can raise different questions from photos of runners, so favor frames where people are clearly enjoying the moment, and be careful with children. When in doubt, leave it out.

Turning crowd photos into something sellable

The people in these frames are your buyers. A cheer squad wants the photo of their group, a family wants the picture of them with their sign and a charity team wants the team on First Avenue. Tag your session with the street and the mile, post the link where those groups hang out and let them find you.

Upload crowd and non-finish-line work to Surf Snaps alongside your runner shots, under sport (running), place and date. Joining and uploading are free, with no storage bill, and the Surf Snaps fee of up to 10% applies only when a photo sells and can be passed on to the customer. Check NYRR's media policy before you list race photos for sale. Runners and families find galleries on Explore by place and date.

One small step

Pick one spot on Sunday and spend your first 20 minutes shooting only the crowd. You will see the day differently, and you will have frames no one else has.

Shooting the NYC Marathon Crowd FAQ

What lens is best for crowd photos?

A 35mm or 50mm prime, or a 24-70mm zoom, works well. A telephoto stays useful for single faces.

Where are the best crowds?

First Avenue and the Central Park finish are the busiest. Bedford Avenue and Fourth Avenue in Brooklyn are also dense.

Do I need permission to photograph spectators?

For a public event you generally do not need it for casual shots, but ask before a close portrait, and remove a photo if someone asks.

Can I sell photos of the crowd?

Yes, with care, and subject to the race's rules. Prefer frames where people are clearly enjoying themselves, and be careful with children.

Where should I upload them?

Surf Snaps, tagged by sport, place and date, so the people in the photos can find them.