Ode to the Brooklyn Bridge

I love NY. Cliché? Of course. But it’s an endless source of inspiration and I can never stay away too long. I’ve been around the world several times and the fortunate guest of many esteemed and exciting cities but, at the end of all these international and domestic sojourns, it’s always NYC that I want to return to.

On a recent solo visit there in late February to gallery hop in Chelsea and check out a photo exhibit at one of my favorite museums, The Rubin, I was equally excited to get out for some street shooting with my new Lensbaby Composer Pro. I had only had this new, impulse purchase for a week or so and had used it for a Boston restaurant photo shoot a few days prior (see that blog here). After lots of food and drink close ups, I was eager to get out there and explore landscapes with it too. And what better iconic and favorite KLP subject than the Brooklyn Bridge?

I headed out early in the morning from Adams Street in Brooklyn walking up Montague St. to the Brooklyn Heights Promenade. Then made my way down under the bridge before walking up on and over to Manhattan and then back to Brooklyn. I have been over the bridge on foot several times – in all seasons. This February morning was particularly freezing but, as most photographers will tell you, I barely noticed all my fingers and toes going numb. Completed in 1883 and now more than 125 years old, the famous suspension bridge linking the two boroughs still carries roughly 150,000 pedestrians, bikers and vehicles every day. Due to the blustery winter temps, traffic on the footpath this Friday AM was lighter than normal but the views were no less stunning.

Although some will argue a photograph shouldn’t “look like a painting”, the Lensbaby tilt and 2.8 aperture on the Sweet 35 Optic allowed for some creative images that, for me, capture an essence of what the bridge is all about: movement, mystery and memory.

“Park Greenway Under Construction“