Brooklyn Bridge View
If you’re visiting NYC or a local looking to take the best photos of the Brooklyn Bridge and the massive New York skyline, there are a few helpful tips to help you create the perfect photographs.
The Brooklyn Bridge is a New York icon, annually attracting millions of visitors. On a given day, thousands walk its promenade to take everything from travel selfies and wedding portraits to fitness photos and landscape photography, with the bridge’s recognizable arches and Manhattan high-rises as the backdrop. If you’re visiting NYC or a local looking to take the best photos of the bridge and the massive New York skyline, there are a few tips to help you create the perfect shot.
Tourists photograph the Brooklyn Bridge
Capturing the Brooklyn Bridge and Lower Manhattan
Hudson River and East River bridges provide iconic skyline views from unique vantage points around New York City. But the view from the Brooklyn Bridge is arguably the best. Skyscrapers such as One World Trade Center, Frank Gehry’s 8 Spruce Street, New York City Hall, and the historic Woolworth building are just a sample of the architectural gems on display. The skyline is perfectly framed behind the Brooklyn Bridge’s famous Neo-Gothic arches, making for beautiful compositions for landscape photography, portraiture, or selfies.
Midtown and the Manhattan Bridge
The Brooklyn Bridge Promenade's center section delivers breathtaking views of Midtown Manhattan and the Manhattan Bridge. Though not quite as famous as the Brooklyn Bridge, the Manhattan Bridge is no slouch. The blue suspension bridge is a hit with travelers as it is the focal point in the artwork for Sergio Leone’s Once Upon a Time in America. Those instantly recognizable suspension towers, and the ability to frame the Empire State Building between them, spurs millions of tourists to flock to Washington Street in the DUMBO neighborhood for selfies and other stylized travel photos.
Cars cross the Brooklyn Bridge with Manhattan Bridge in the distance
But if you want to capture the city and Manhattan Bridge from a different perspective, the view from the center of the Brooklyn Bridge is unbeatable. The Empire State Building and Manhattan Bridge are visible from this vantage. With good composition, you will easily capture a Brooklyn Bridge arch and or spans, the Manhattan Bridge, the Midtown Manhattan Skyline, and the Empire State Building in a single frame.
Facing east on the Brooklyn Bridge Promenade offers views of Downtown Brooklyn, the New York Harbor, Brooklyn Heights and Manhattan Bridge
Photoing the Brooklyn Side
An overlooked photography opportunity is snapping the eastern side of the Brooklyn Bridge. Most tourists focus on Manhattan, but, the Brooklyn side offers views of architectural gems. The contemporary steel and concrete skyscrapers in Downtown Brooklyn, classic pre-war architecture in Brooklyn Heights, DUMBO's renovated warehouses, and new stylish mid-rises are visible when facing Brooklyn. Additionally, you can capture Manhattan Bridge and the spectacular Jane’s Carousel from this viewpoint.
Photographing the Brooklyn Bridge
Across the River from Manhattan
No session is complete without photos of the Brooklyn Bridge itself. There are key areas around the bridge with incredible angles and sight lines that will make your photos pop.
Brooklyn Bridge Park is a noted spot to take pictures of Brooklyn Bridge, the Manhattan Skyline, and the action along the East River. Walk to the waterfront area beneath Brooklyn Bridge to snap a spectacular shot of the span against the Manhattan Skyline. The DUMBO side of the park offers impressive views that incorporate Jane’s Carousel.
Nearby St. Ann’s Warehouse has a triangular garden that frames the Brooklyn Bridge arch overhead. These locations are ideal for fitness photography, travel photos, and engagement/wedding photos.
The Brooklyn Bridge overlooks St. Anne’s Warehouse in DUMBO
Walk up the Brooklyn side of the Manhattan Bridge pedestrian path for beautiful shots of the Brooklyn Bridge. Enter the pedestrian path at Jay Street and Nassau Street, then walk to the first tower. Peek your lens through the openings of the chainlink fence to capture the photograph. This angle provides unobstructed, panoramic photos of the Brooklyn Bridge, Lower Manhattan, and DUMBO, Brooklyn.
The Brooklyn Bridge, Lower Manhattan and DUMBO
Getting There
Access the Brooklyn Bridge from Manhattan by entering the Brooklyn Bridge Promenade at Center Street and Park Row or via the Park Row staircase. From Brooklyn, enter the promenade at Tillary and Boerum Place or via the staircase at Washington Street and Prospect Street.
If you are visiting NYC or a local needing more than a selfie at the Brooklyn Bridge, Marques Jackson Photography is here to serve your needs. Services include portraiture, travel and lifestyle photography, fitness photography, and social media photography that will capture you, the Brooklyn Bridge, and the New York skyline in their best light.
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Manhattan Bridge View
The Manhattan Bridge has been featured in countless TV shows and films. A popular photography backdrop for tourists, feature films, and social media influencers, the view from the Manhattan Bridge is also great for capturing a unique perspective of the city.
Whether in or out of focus, the Manhattan Bridge creates an incredible atmosphere.
The Brooklyn Bridge is an iconic symbol of New York. With its gothic revival architecture, it’s easy to see why millions of tourists flock to see one the larger-than-life structure. However, a little further to its north lies the Manhattan Bridge, an underrated gem and tourist attraction in its own right. The Manhattan Bridge's famous spans were immortalized in Sergio Leone’s epic Once Upon a Time in America. More recently, it has become a popular background for Instagram selfies. If you’re looking to capture the city from a unique point of view, nothing compares to photographing New York City from the Manhattan Bridge.
New York’s Manhattan Bridge from DUMBO.
Background Player
Though not as ubiquitous in pop culture as the Brooklyn Bridge, the Manhattan Bridge is no slouch. It has been featured in countless films and television series. From the aforementioned Once Upon a Time in America, to the opening credits of TV’s Living Single, Fiat and Massimo Dutti commercials, Tom Cruise’s Oblivion and the Denzel Washington starrer The Taking of Pelham 123.
Washington Street in DUMBO, Brooklyn attracts tourists from around the globe.
Washington Street in DUMBO is arguably Brooklyn’s most famous photography spot. Each day, thousands of tourists, social media influencers, professional photographers and videographers flock to the neighborhood hoping to capture the Manhattan Bridge and the Empire State Building in the same frame. However, by not venturing onto the bridge, shutterbugs are missing out on some of the best shots of NYC and its larger-than-life structures.
Finding the Manhattan Bridge Views
The Manhattan Bridge south side walking path gives unobstructed views of several NYC landmarks.
The Manhattan Bridge offers stunning views of NYC from various angles. From the bridge’s south side walking path, Manhattan’s Financial District skyline is prominent, with clear views of towering skyscrapers such as One World Trade Center, the Woolworth Building, and City Hall. Chinatown, the Statue of Liberty, DUMBO, Jane’s Carousel, and Brooklyn Heights are also visible. You can’t photograph the Brooklyn Bridge from the Brooklyn Bridge, so the Manhattan Bridge’s south side path is your best bet for capturing the iconic site.
Northern view from the Manhattan Bridge.
The bridge's north side bike path offers a breathtaking glimpse of the seemingly endless Midtown Manhattan skyline, with views of the Empire State Building, the Chrysler Building, and the newly-minted Hudson Yards. Williamsburg Brooklyn and the Williamsburg Bridge are visible from the north side of the bridge.
For video recording, riding the subway between Brooklyn and Manhattan via the Manhattan Bridge offers a cinematic experience. Press your lens against the train windows to capture the steel spans framing sections of the city, showing the depth and breadth of the Manhattan skyline. From the gritty, colorful environs of Chinatown and the Lower East Side to the glitzy Midtown Manhattan skyscrapers, a little bit of everything is visible from this vantage point. The N/Q trains traverse the southern side of the bridge, while the B/D trains offer views from the northern side.
Whichever perspective you choose, the Manhattan Bridge view of NYC is going to make your photos and videos pop.
Graffiti and the Fence
Unlike the pristine Brooklyn Bridge, which is kept spotless and preserved for tourist consumption, the Manhattan Bridge has attitude. It’s adorned by colorful graffiti that gives it a character-filled, lived-in edge and much-needed splashes of color. From whimsical takes about life to DIY advertisements and brutally honest critiques, the graffiti gives one pause to laugh, cry, or ponder their life choices. The graffiti also photographs beautifully, providing a striking backdrop for portraiture or fitness photography.
A chain link fence flanks both dedicated biking and walking paths to prevent people from indulging in point-of-no-return impulses. Despite the protective barrier, life finds a way. At key points along the bridge paths, sections of chain link fence have been cut by industrious New Yorkers looking to give themselves, their cameras, and their phones the freedom to see the city from a different perspective. At these spots, photographers and cinematographers can take a moment to capture the city’s iconic skyline.
A recent addition to the Manhattan Skyline, One Manhattan Square stands tall beside the Manhattan Bridge.
A Busy Crossing
The Manhattan Bridge is so much more than a backdrop for movies and Instagram posts. It’s arguably the most functional of the East River crossings, offering a number of ways to travel between two of NYC’s busiest boroughs.
The blue-steel marvel houses four subway lines, four upper level and three lower level automobile lanes, and dedicated biking and walking paths. It links several unique New York neighborhoods that offer contrasting takes on city living. Chinatown — a cultural epicenter teeming with restaurants, shops, street vendors, and hordes of foot traffic – sits on the Manhattan side. The Brooklyn side sits between two bustling neighborhoods that are the poster children for gentrification: Downtown Brooklyn and DUMBO, with their high-rise office buildings, restaurants, shopping, and residential skyscrapers.
The bridge is loud in every sense of the word. Cars wizzing by and the noisy steel-on-steel of the subway train serve as a reminder of NYC’s go-go-go lifestyle. On the Manhattan Bridge, it becomes apparent that there are a dizzying number of trains traversing city as they frequently make use of the crossing. It’s so noisy that I often wonder how thick the windows are in the surrounding DUMBO high-rises and the relatively new One Manhattan Square residential skyscraper on Manhattan’s Lower East Side.
If you want to capture live video from the bridge paths, remember to use a high-quality, noise-cancelling microphone with a windscreen if your subject is speaking. The thundering subway trains make it almost impossible to clearly capture voices.
Getting There
Walk the Bridge: the Brooklyn pedestrian path entry sits at the intersection of Jay Street and Nassau Street. The Manhattan side pedestrian path entrance is at the corner of Canal Street and Bowery.
Bike the Bridge: The Manhattan side bike path entrance is on Chrystie Street. The Brooklyn side bike path entry is at Jay Street and Sands Street.
Capture the view from the Subway: From Manhattan, take Brooklyn-bound N/Q trains from Canal Street station or Brooklyn-bound B/D trains at Grand Street station. From Brooklyn, take Manhattan-bound D/N trains from Atlantic Avenue-Barclays Center station or Manhattan-bound B/Q trains at DeKalb Avenue station.
Drive: Enter the bridge at the intersection of Canal Street and Bowery on the Manhattan side. From Brooklyn, enter the bridge at the intersection of Flatbush Avenue Ext. and Tillary Street.
When photographing or videotaping from the Manhattan Bridge, please remember that the bridge is first and foremost a mode of transportation. Do not obstruct anyone while taking photos and videos unless you want an authentic New York greeting ;).
Finding the Best Brooklyn Photography
Whether you want to capture your street style in the iconic avenues of Brooklyn for social media or schedule corporate event photography, New York photographer Marques Jackson will deliver.
Wonder Wheel. Coney Island, Brooklyn
If you need Brooklyn photography services, you’ve come to the right place. Whether you want to capture your street style in the iconic avenues of Brooklyn for social media or schedule corporate event photography, Brooklyn photographer Marques Jackson will deliver. Marques has spent over 10 years documenting the people, style, businesses, and events of New York City, leveraging his unique perspective and expertise to produce stunning photos that capture the essence of the city’s spirit.
Brooklyn Photography In the Streets
Washington Street. DUMBO, Brooklyn
Brooklyn, New York City’s most populous borough, is home to the creative soul of New York City. With artists, innovators, makers, creators, and shakers, Brooklyn serves up its own unique style that is world famous. From the iconic Brooklyn Bridge to stately brownstones and epic street art, Brooklyn offers a one-of-a-kind photography backdrop that attracts millions of visitors from around the world.
Whether you want to capture the uniquely retro beach vibe of Coney Island or showcase your Brooklyn small business in the best light, Brooklyn photographer Marques Jackson will memorialize the scenes for you. Immerse yourself in the vibrant borough of Brooklyn for social media or capture the magic of your Brooklyn event with the best Brooklyn photography services.
Best Places for Brooklyn Photography
Capture your street style in the world’s hippest place or get an unforgettable travel photo with stunning professional photos. There are so many incredible places in Brooklyn to bring out the best look and feel for your photos. Here are the best places for Brooklyn photography:
Dumbo offers sweeping views of the Manhattan skyline, Brooklyn Bridge, and Manhattan Bridge, all set against a gorgeous backdrop of Brooklyn Bridge Park, complete with greenways, piers, sailboats, and waterfront perspectives.
Williamsburg is a funky, colorful place to capture street style and life, with eclectic cafes and eateries, vibrant murals, and a funky vibe.
Downtown Brooklyn is the bustling hub of life in the borough, with a mix of unique shops and restaurants, brownstones, murals, and the buzzing Barclays Center.
Brooklyn Bridge is the perfect place to shoot next to Dumbo. The stunning historic landmark draws millions of tourists a year for good reason - it offers beautiful views of the NYC skyline against the backdrop of stately lines and architecture on the iconic bridge.
Williamsburg Bridge is a great addition to any Williamsburg shoot. Capture a uniquely funky vibe on the graffiti-covered pink and concrete bridge, which makes for amazing social media photos and travel photos that will stand out in everyone’s social feeds.
Fort Greene, Park Slope, Bed-Stuy and Prospect Heights are distinctly Brooklyn neighborhoods that feature the famous historic Brooklyn brownstones. If you want a uniquely Brooklyn street shot, these neighborhoods offer the perfect backdrop.
Bushwick is home to the most murals in NYC, with the street art mecca of the Bushwick Collective drawing international artists to paint massive walls for blocks and blocks. If you want an art-filled Brooklyn photography shoot unlike any place in the world, head to Bushwick.
Brooklyn Social Media Photography
Face off. Williamsburg, Brooklyn
The best Brooklyn photography depicts more than the look of a person or place - it captures the true spirit. If you need a Brooklyn photographer to capture your best self for your social media feed, Marques Jackson offers special social media packages. Marques’ social media photography experience with influencers, influencer events, corporate events, and small businesses has uniquely positioned him to be able to create iconic, unforgettable images for social media. Create a story, a vibe, and a tribe with Marques’ Brooklyn photography for social media.
Marques’ photos have helped catapult small businesses and influencers to stardom and success, as he has the unique ability to capture a person’s and brand’s true spirit in a unique, exciting, and iconic way. If you want your social media feeds to stand out from the crowd and stop the scroll for double takes, likes, comments, and saves, then Marques’ social media photography is your best bet.
Brooklyn Event Photography
Runstreet X JMZ Walls event. Bushwick, Brooklyn
If you need Brooklyn photography for your next corporate event or small business function, Marques is an experienced local photographer who has helped many businesses capture their events and offerings. Whether you are hosting a fitness event or an evening soiree, Marques will bring his stunning photography skills, easygoing personality, and ability to capture people’s positive aspects to work for you.
Runstreet X Luna Bar Northside Festival. Williamsburg, Brooklyn
Marques’ skills in making people feel comfortable and enjoy themselves are an asset at any event. Keep your guests and sponsors smiling for years to come by capturing your next Brooklyn event with the incredible skills of a creative photographer.
Brooklyn Portrait Photography
Smoking Break. Williamsburg, Brooklyn
If you need a Brooklyn portrait photographer, Marques can capture you at your best in the streets of Brooklyn, in your home or business, or studio. Marques offers his signature humor and ability to bring out the best in people to each portrait session. Whether you need a new professional headshot or want to capture a high-quality portrait of yourself for social media or business purposes, you will never have to dig through your device again in search of a headshot.
About the Photographer
Marques Jackson is a creative Brooklyn photographer who has been capturing the people and streets of New York City for over a decade. Marques’ roots in fashion photography and street style photos have helped him bring a stylish and vibrant perspective to everyone he photographs.
Brooklyn photographer Marques Jackson has shot everything from New York Fashion Week to corporate events and products for global brands like IHG Hotels, Whole Foods Market, Clif Bar, Reebok, Kotex, Saucony, and many more. Marques has also helped local small businesses expand their reach and brand with incredible social media photography, product photography, and event photography, working with growing local brands including ConBody, Runstreet, and NYC Racquet Sports.
Marques Jackson Photography in the Press
Marques’ photography has been featured in USA Today, the Evening Standard, Dove Magazine (Italy), Buzzfeed, the New York Post, Time Out New York, Playboy, Thrillist, Dauphine Magazine, and Runner’s World.
Book a complimentary consultation with Marques about your NYC photography needs. To inquire about a specific Brooklyn photography service, check out Marq’s Services page.
Check out Marq’s past photo shoots here.
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