Behind the Image: My Favourite New York Print

Some photographs stay with you more than others. Out of all the images I have taken in New York, this is the one that has become my clear favourite.

It shows the Brooklyn Bridge at blue hour, with the bridge lights creating a strong leading line towards Manhattan’s glowing skyline in the background. For me, that is what makes the image so special. The bridge does not just frame the scene — it guides the eye directly into one of the most iconic city skylines in the world.

Timing was essential. To capture this kind of image, you need the right moment in the blue hour: late enough for the city lights to glow properly, but early enough to keep that deep blue tone in the sky. That short balance between daylight and night gives the scene its atmosphere, and it is often what makes the difference between an ordinary city photograph and one with a more distinctive mood.

Like most night images, this photograph had to be taken with a tripod. In low light, keeping the camera perfectly still is crucial if you want to preserve sharp detail and make full use of the available light.

I later converted the image to black and white, which gave it a very different and, in my view, even stronger character. Removing the colour brought more attention to the lines, contrast and structure in the scene, and created a mood that feels both timeless and cinematic.

This photograph now hangs in my dining room as a large print, measuring 120 × 80 cm, and it has become my favourite image at home as well. It is not only my favourite photograph from New York, but also one of the prints I enjoy living with the most.

You can see more images from this remarkable city in my full New York gallery,