I never planned to write this post when I was on vacation. But I ended up with so many great shots at Brooklyn Bridge so I wanted to share some of my favorite angles. Read on for my tips on getting the most Instagrammable shots at Brooklyn Bridge as well as a 5 day travel guide to the whole city! If you’re not following me on Instagram yet, go check out my profile!
Square Up
As you walk onto Brooklyn Bridge from the Manhattan side, the first shot will likely be shooting the bridge straight on. Don’t get impatient and start shooting right away as the arch will be too small. Keep walking until the size is just right. Make sure you are standing in the center of the bridge and your photographer is too. In my photo, I went for just for crossed arm and put all the weight onto one hip. We were at the bridge at about 7am and that’s why there is no one around!
Look Behind
Once you start making your way across the bridge, make sure to turn back and admire the view. It was so breathtaking to see the Manhattan skyline and for me it was a bit unexpected. I had my vision on Brooklyn and the bridge the whole time, I had no idea how beautiful it was behind me. Lean against the bridge for a beautiful shot of the skyline. If you’re going in the morning, the sun will also hit you in the face!
Sit On It
So I was personally too afraid to do this, but it’s all over Instagram. If you look at the photo above, you can see the metal “boxes” that you can hop on to and sit on top of it. It’ll turn out to be a really fearless shot. But I was just thinking I didn’t want a freak accident and the reason I died is I was trying to take a photo.
Walk Across
It’s natural to be walking across the bridge, not just standing on it! Why not take candid photos which can show the movement. One thing I like to do is to grab my bag strap with my hands and swing it back and forth. The angle of the bag makes the photo look even more fluid and in motion. In this particular one, it’s not swinging as much as I’d like it to be. But I liked real candidness of everything else!
Dumbo
Since you are already walking across the Brookyln Bridge, make sure to also stop by for the iconic photo in Dumbo. Once you get off the bridge, make your way to Washington street until the very end. It’s a perfectly scenic shot with red bricks and the Manhattan Bridge. Even at 7:30am, there were cars parked on the street and a few cars coming out. So make sure to come here early if you don’t want to disturb traffic
Get Close to the Water
We decided to walk back towards the water and it was a beautiful serene park with the Manhattan skyline. This photo was taken at the Empire Fulton Ferry State Park. I think it’s a really neat angle that I don’t see many photos of. You can get the bridge, building, and river all together in one photo.
Other Tips
Make sure you plan the previous night’s activities to allow you to sleep nice and early. We left our hotel, Hotel Indigo Lower East Side, just before 6:30am and got to the bridge around 6:45am. We went on a Monday morning. While there was quite a bit of car traffic on the bridge, the actual pedestrian traffic was quite sparse and perfect for photos. Not only is there less crowds, but the light is softer and won’t cast harsh shadows early in the morning.
While we were there, there was an engagement shoot and a fashion shoot. Check out some of the spots and angles the professionals are shooting from and see if it works for you. Often they’ll be in the best spots so just follow what they’re up to!
Lastly, editing is a huge deal! I did an example of how I might amp up the editing if I was to post on Instagram. I increased the exposure and the contrast. Then I increased the Green Primary Hue and decreased the Blue Primary Hue. I feel like the end result creates a more “fairy tale” like setting.
I know this is quite different from my usual travel posts which focuses on things to do and places to eat! But let me know if you found this helpful at all! I know I have to consciously carve out a few hours for taking photos on a trip, and that way I can enjoy the rest of it without always stopping and going to take photos. What’s your photo style on vacation?