Brooklyn Bridge

The Brooklyn Bridge is a grand old crossing over the East River in the heart of New York City that is impossible to resist capturing. Its tall towers of pale stone with pointed gothic arches all strung together by a huge fan of steel cables and the Lower Manhattan skyline behind it is just begging to be photographed over and over again. Almost any angle hands you something amazing to work with, whether it is the geometry of the cables, the weathered stone of the towers, or the contrast between the historic bridge and modern architecture behind. The easiest compostions are from Brooklyn Bridge Park on the Brooklyn side, you can easily set up at Pebble Beach and use the rocky shoreline and the river as foreground with the bridge sweeping across the frame. If you are looking to capture a more architectural photography vibe you can follow the bridge's wooden walkway and shoot straight down the middle for the symmetrical run of cables leading toward the arches. The bridge deck also works well if you are aiming for a more urban photography feel since it is bustling with people all day long. Sunrise is the ideal time to plan for since the sun comes up behind you over Brooklyn and lays soft warm light across the stone towers plus, the crowds are thinner earlier in the day. If you prefer sunset or blue hour photography, the sun will drop behind the skyline. This lets you capture a glowing sky and then you can stay as the bridge lights slowly come on through blue hour. The bridge is simple to reach on several subway lines, though driving and parking are more probably more of a hassle than they are worth. The only aspect to navigate here is people, so the earlier you turn up the more room you will have to set up and move around to experiment with angles. Although the bridge has been endlessly photographed, it is still completely worth pointing your camera at to see what you can come up with. (Brooklyn, New York, United States)