Chapter 14. Manhattan and Williamsburg Bridges
The Manhattan Bridge from the shoreline of the Brooklyn Bridge Park. A plane streaks across the sky after takeoff from Newark Airport while the lights of a slow barge head out into the Upper Bay on the East River. Taken at ISO 400, f/10, 30 seconds with a 24–105mm lens.
Why It's Worth a Photograph
The Manhattan and Williamsburg bridges connect lower Manhattan to Brooklyn. Built around the turn of the nineteenth century, both suspension bridges still carry both car and rail traffic in addition to offering pedestrian walkways. Although neither of these bridges carries the same cultural significance as the neighboring Brooklyn Bridge, they are still historically significant and famous in their own rights.
As the bridges straddle the East River, the boroughs of Manhattan and Brooklyn offer wonderful backdrops for sunset and twilight imagery. The austere metal construction of both the Manhattan and Williamsburg bridges contrasts with the neighboring Brooklyn Bridge's stone frame. Their design offers a simplified, architectural feel which stands out very well when backlit by a sunrise or sunset. These two magnificent bridges are an excellent place to start or end your photographic day.
The best vantage points from which to photograph the Manhattan ...
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