Bridges and Waterfront

Summary: 

Location: Brooklyn Heights Promenade, Brooklyn Bridge Park, Empire Fulton Ferry State Park, Main Street Park

Conditions: Winter, Midday, Slightly Overcast

Good News: Though the day was overcast, it was better than the previous shoots. As a result, the lighting was great everywhere we went. 

Problems Faced: As always, it was chilly, but that wasn’t the main issue. Recently built condominiums and skyscrapers obstruct the once breathtaking views of the Brooklyn and Manhattan Bridges. Also, we started losing daylight towards the end of the day. 

Possible Solutions: The best way to deal with obstructions is to move around them. We walked a great deal and eventually found better angles of the bridges and waterfront. Also, we dressed warmer this time. For the next shoot, I might bring hand warmers! As for losing sunlight, we can either start shooting earlier or walk faster!

Favorite Photo: You may have noticed, I changed this category from “best photo” to “favorite photo”. For this shoot, my favorite was this shot of the Statue of Liberty. In terms of composition and aesthetic rules, it may not be the best photo from the day. However, I enjoy its grittiness and the fact that a piece of metal points towards Lady Liberty.

Planet of the Apes anyone?

Most Disappointing Photo:  As you can see, I changed this category as well. I think “disappointing”  appropriately describes my feelings towards this picture of the waterfront. If I had realized the potential here, I would have spent more time capturing the range of objects between me and Manhattan. With the right angle, the bench could have been a satisfying frame. 

Spend more time getting your angles, folks.

Story, Settings, and Shots:

Alex and I rendezvoused (yes, apparently that’s how you spell that) in Downtown Brooklyn, and headed to the Brooklyn Heights Promenade. It was a long and enjoyable walk through the old, brownstoned neighborhood that is Brooklyn Heights. We walked past the cul-de-sac and entered the Promenade. There, a familiar, but always breathtaking view awaited us. During our time in college, we would often walk through here at night with friends. As a kid, my dad would take us here when showing a visiting relative the wonders of the city. This place has great sentimental value to me. Snapping out of Memory Lane, we took a glance to the north. There was the problem. What were once construction sites were now tall condominiums. They greatly obstructed the view of the Brooklyn Bridge’s south tower. Also, a large skyscraper was built just behind our view of the Manhattan bridge. We did our best. Here are some shots from the day, and a bonus picture of the annoying skyscraper. 

Decent, right?

Though this building was in the way, I like this shot. (Click to expand)

Note: This picture was rotated and cropped slightly.

Fortunately for us, there was an abundance of angles that avoided these buildings. We took as many pictures as we could, most of them experimental. I tried using the Promenade fence for several photos, but they did not come out too well. Afterward, we walked down to the waterfront of Brooklyn Bridge Park and climbed on some rocks (Don’t try this at home kids! Who am I kidding? No one reads these posts anyway. 🙁 ) I am happy we did, because we got shots that would have been impossible otherwise. We walked past Jane’s Carousel, the Max Family Garden, and eventually, we arrived at the DUMBO Brooklyn Historical Society building. Further up the park, we took a few shots at “Pebble Beach”, a small cove where we used to skip stones at night. Finally, we ended our journey at the Main Street Park, underneath the Manhattan Bridge. Here are my best photos of the day. 

Best Photos

These are my favorite pictures of the day. 

Now that you have the good, here’s the ugly. These are the worst photos of the day. 

Worst Photos

I hate these…

As always, let’s go over what could have been better. Let’s start from the top left and move clockwise. The first photo isn’t horrible, but it is uninspired. There must have been a more creative way to frame the buildings in the background using the bridge. Maybe I was just in the wrong place and elevation. The second photo was already discussed. The third is overexposed and I should have used street sign better. There were many possibilities, since this photo was taken on a steep hill. I could have easily walked down and gotten me a decent angle. Finally, the last photo was a ruined selfie opportunity. The posing could have been better, the camera should have been level, and I’m sure I could have used the words “New York” with more finesse. I should have revealed my bald head for better lighting. Oh well. 

Final Thoughts

1. We took so many pictures that the day had to be a success!
2. There were many other photographers around. Next time I’ll talk to them and get some tips (and maybe some phone numbers 🙂 ).
3.  I really need hand warmers. 
4. I need to take more street portraits.