Using the latest Nikon cameras, various helicopters and other toys you'll never have, photographer Jason Hawkes has captured some dramatic shots of New York and Vegas at night from above. The photographs are stunning, and despite Vegas having co-opted New York icons ranging from the Statue of Liberty to Serendipity III to the skyline, we're thrilled to report that these photos show the two cities as quite distinct.

Hawkes' New York shots capture the top of the Chrysler building, in all its art deco glory, up close; look down on the fluorescent chaos of Times Square; and snap the Financial District, Governor's Island, the Upper Bay, and a pink-dusted sunset in a heavenly wide-angle shot. A book of the New York photos will be published this fall.

The Vegas shots capture both the novelty of the Strip and the suburban sprawl, dotted with lights in the desert night. While the New York pictures seem to focus on the density and enormity of the city's buildings, the Vegas' picture seem to dwarf the brightly lit hotels and casinos, capturing them in the foreground against a vast sprawl. It might just be our prejudiced viewpoint, but Hawkes' camera seems to love New York a bit more than Vegas.