I get asked about the Brooklyn Bridge more than almost any other location. Understandable — it's one of the most iconic backdrops in New York City and the images can be genuinely stunning. I've made beautiful portraits on that bridge over the years and I'll happily make more.

But before you put the Brooklyn Bridge at the top of your must-have list, there are some things worth knowing. This is the honest version — the one I give my clients before we plan their session.

THE TIME REALITY

Getting a photo on the Brooklyn Bridge isn't just walking onto a bridge. The spot everyone wants — near the gothic arches at the center — is about a 20-minute walk from either entrance. That means any bridge visit costs you roughly an hour of your session: 20 minutes to get there, 20 minutes to shoot, 20 minutes to get back.

For a standard two-hour portrait session, that's half your time on one location.

It gets more complicated if you're combining the bridge with a ceremony. Here's how the math actually works:

If you're getting married at the Manhattan Marriage Bureau:

• Ceremony: approximately 30 minutes
• Walk to bridge entrance: 10 minutes
• Walk to center arches: 20 minutes
• Shooting time: 20 minutes
• Walk back off bridge: 20 minutes
• Time remaining for portraits elsewhere: about 20 minutes

If you're getting married in Brooklyn Bridge Park:

• Ceremony: approximately 15 minutes
• Walk to bridge entrance from the park: 20 minutes
• Walk to center arches: 20 minutes
• Shooting time: 20 minutes
• Walk back off bridge: 20 minutes
• Time remaining for portraits elsewhere: about 25 minutes

Neither of those is impossible — but neither leaves much room for anything else. If the bridge is a priority, book an additional 30 minutes upfront. You'll need it.

THE CROWD REALITY

The Brooklyn Bridge is one of the most visited tourist attractions in the world, and it shows. The center arches — the exact spot where you want your photos — are crowded for most of the day, most of the year, including winter.

The only reliable way to avoid the crowds entirely is to go at sunrise. And here's what that actually means in practice: for anyone who needs hair and makeup, you're looking at a 4am session with your stylist, which means waking up around 3am and paying a premium for a pre-dawn appointment. That's a lot to ask of yourself and your wallet for one photograph.

THE HACK I'VE DEVELOPED OVER THE YEARS

Here's where it gets a little technical, but stay with me — it's worth understanding.

Most people on that bridge are shooting with a phone (typically a 28mm focal length) or a point-and-shoot camera (usually around 35mm). These are standard to slightly wide focal lengths, which means virtually everyone is shooting from roughly the same distance to the arches to get the full shot. That creates a concentrated cluster of people all standing in one spot.

I shoot with a super wide angle lens at 15mm. At that focal length I can capture the full grandeur of the arches from a position much closer to them than everyone else — which means I'm in a completely different spot from the crowd. Not alone, but significantly less crowded. And the few people who do end up in the background? I can remove them in post-processing.

The result: it's genuinely possible to get a beautiful, relatively uncluttered shot on the Brooklyn Bridge at a civilized hour. Not guaranteed, but very achievable with the right approach.

That being said, you should also include the crowds in some of your shots. They are an integral part of the experience and what is NYC without crowds. 

THE ALTERNATIVE WORTH CONSIDERING

Before you commit to the bridge itself, consider this: Brooklyn Bridge Park is named after the Brooklyn Bridge for a reason. From the park you get some of the most spectacular views of the bridge in existence — with the Manhattan skyline behind it, the water in the foreground, and the full sweep of the cables and towers in frame. 

These shots are often just as dramatic as anything you can get standing on the bridge itself, and they cost you none of the travel time or crowd negotiation.

If your heart is set on being on the bridge, I'll make it work. If you're open to the bridge as a backdrop rather than a location, you might end up with something equally spectacular — with a lot less stress.

THE BOTTOM LINE

The Brooklyn Bridge is absolutely worth it if:

• You book an extra 30 minutes in advance
• You understand the time constraints and plan your day accordingly
• You're flexible about the time of day
• You're open to my wide-angle approach for managing the crowds

It may not be worth it if:

• You have a tight schedule with a ceremony the same day
• You need to keep to two hours and want a range of locations. 
• You're primarily after the bridge as a backdrop rather than a location — in which case the park gives you everything you need

Any questions about planning your session around the Brooklyn Bridge — or anywhere else in New York City — just ask. I've been shooting this city for 25 years and I know every angle of it.