Ben and I recently decided to walk across The Brooklyn Bridge and head into Dumbo for some lunch at Time Out Market and beer at Evil Twin Brewery. Around 1pm on a Saturday afternoon, we packed up and made our way to the bridge…..and then we stopped…like, literally lol there was shoulder to shoulder foot traffic that turned a 30 minute walk into an hour one. I realized pretty quickly that the cute outfit I threw on and the camera we decided to bring wouldn’t be put to good use in that crowd 🙂
So we decided to still walk the bridge, check out the views and have our afternoon in Dumbo, but made a note to come back when it would be a little emptier. When we got home, I did some research on the best time to go and so many people raved about sunrise! I started looking at photos and suddenly “walk the Brooklyn Bridge at sunrise” was added to the bucket list.
Ben and I decided to do our sunrise walk pretty quickly since the seasons were about to change and the weather was about to cool. We also decided on a weekday instead of the weekend- we figured there would be less tourists out and the work crowd wouldn’t be commuting just yet.
Sunrise for us was at 6:30am, so at 5:30am, got ready and headed that way. The bridge was pretty empty, but there were still more people on it then we expected – walkers, bikers, other photographers. While we got some really pretty photos, I still learned a lot about what to do and what not to do! So if you’re looking for the perfect Kodak moment, keep reading for the 411:
5 Tips and Tricks
- Get to the bridge 30 minutes before the sun is said to rise. Your GPS will tell you that it takes XX amount of time to get there, but getting onto the bridge and walking to the middle or wherever you want to grab a photo takes longer. So play it safe and get there early!
- Start on the Brooklyn side (entrance between Tillary and Adams) and walk towards Manhattan. We did the opposite, but wish we didn’t! Right as we walked onto the bridge, the lighting was perfect, but by the time we got to the Brooklyn side the sun was pretty harsh and that’s where some of the best views are of the NYC skyline! If you start in Brooklyn, you’ll get that money shot of NYC just as the sun is coming up and then the lighting will be good all the way across.
- Beware of the bike lane on the left. Even at 6:30 in the morning, that bike lane is rockin’ and rollin’. At first glance, it looks like a pedestrian walkway, so a lot of people will walk in it or use it for photos and the bikers aren’t a fan, rightfully so 😉 Just something to keep in mind as you make your way across/if you’re setting up a tripod.
- If you’re unsure of what to wear, I would suggest a bright color like white, red, yellow or orange. Black also looks beautiful on the bridge and gives a more moody/edgy feel to your photo. Avoid wearing brown or grey as those will most likely blend in with the bridge itself!
- Look up photo inspo before you go! There are so many little spots to stop that it can be a bit overwhelming – then add in people walking/biking around you and it can be a lot pre-morning coffee. I would suggest looking up photo ideas on Instagram and Pinterest and screenshotting or flagging images you like! Then when you’re on the bridge, you know exactly what you’re looking for.
- Bonus Tip: The bridge is long – 1.1 miles, so wear comfy shoes and pack your heels/dress shoes if you’re looking to wear them in a photo. The flooring on the bridge is a bit uneven, so just trust me – sneakers are king.
