Long exposures by night
May 26, 2015
Nikon D610. 24-70 mm f/2.8. Extra batteries. Remote. My bag packed, there is only one more thing to do — wait. As dusk approaches, I throw on a sweatshirt, fold my tripod, and head out the door. Something about cities at night attracts me. Whether it’s the cool evening air, the calm and quiet atmosphere, or the contrast of bright lights against the black night sky, I can’t say for certain. Dirty streets by day become alluring paths by night. Drab edifices by day take on a deeper meaning in the dark — I seek to capture these secrets of the night. Exposing my shots between thirty and three hundred seconds, I allow my camera to absorb more light than the naked eye can see, unmasking the darkness and revealing the transience of the world.
Cars intermittently pass behind me. The low hum of their engines break the otherwise silent atmosphere of the night. Bright lights illuminate the bridge, drawing a stark contrast with the black sky behind it. A tap of a remote and my shutter opens. An image appears on my screen two minutes later. Turbulent waves are replaced with a calm, still sea. The sea of darkness transforms into a bright sky, hidden clouds exposed by light.
I kneel on the street, leaning back against the plush wall of bushes as I frame my shot. I sit in silence as I watched for the cars to come, fiddling with my trigger in wait. The instant the bright headlights illuminate the dark street, I lock the remote, holding my breath as I watch the car zip by. As it continues to zigzag down the windy road, I release my shutter and admire the streaks of light dashed across the LCD screen.
I stand at the mouth of the Brooklyn Bridge, the first tower looming above me. A lone American flag waves at its peak, lost in the darkness of the night sky. I unclasp my tripod legs and center myself, unsure what my camera will make of the pure blackness above. As the shutter signals the end of my photo, I stare at my screen, astounded. The fluttering of the flag in the gentle breeze surrounded by the stark outlines of dark clouds combine for an eerie site. The arches of the bridge and the lines of the suspension cables form a gateway, drawing me in to some strange world. I lose myself in the depths of my photo, finally snapped back to reality when my screen shuts off. I look up at the site I just photographed and there stands the bridge masked in darkness. I smile; there is so much more behind that dull, gray structure.
Trekking across the Manhattan Bridge, my cold fingers grasp the tripod as I brace the frigid east coast weather. Nearly halfway across the East River, I turn back and am met with the bright skyline of New York. Despite the late hour, hundreds of cars pass under me, vibrations shaking the whole bridge. I stand and stare, mesmerized by the allure of the mysterious cityscape sprawling over the horizon.