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Category: photography

April 27, 2025

Here’s a Great Place to Snap a Photo of Manhattan’s Iconic Skyline at Sunset

A stunning view of the New York City skyline at sunset, with vibrant orange and blue hues in the sky, casting a warm glow over the city. The image captures the silhouette of skyscrapers and rooftops in the foreground.
You can frame a cool photo of New York City right from your seat on Amtrak. If your train is traveling at sunset, just look out your window. It’s a spectacular view. Here’s how to optimize that photographic opportunity.

It’s hard to miss this famous skyline as your Amtrak train nears or leaves the Big Apple. And sunset is a particularly special time. So, it warrants trying to take a photo or two…

The weather conditions have to be right. Plus, there’s only a six-minute stretch when the train is close enough and oriented correctly with its windows directly facing the east side of Manhattan. 

The Best Views of New York City
Then, take out your smartphone. Press it as close to the window as possible to avoid reflections from the inside of the train. (The fact that your phone’s lens effectively lies flat with the phone’s body will protect it from accidental bumps into the glass due to your train’s jerky movements.)

And then start snapping away.

A vibrant sunset over the New York City skyline, with a golden sun setting on the horizon, surrounded by buildings and the silhouette of bridges.

As much as I always want to zoom closer with my iPhone 15 Pro Max’s 2x or 5x lens to better frame the skyscrapers, the wider shots are better. I think you need that foreground in the shot to help tell the visual story. Plus, the train’s motion is less of a problem for your phone’s camera if you’re not zoomed in.

A stunning sunset view over New York City, with the skyline silhouetted against a vibrant orange sky and the setting sun casting warm light on the landscape.

Just Another Bonus for Taking the Train
Yes, it’s an amazing vista to take in, but you should temper your expectations for your photos. Remember, you’re shooting through glass, and the train is moving.

Still, it’s worth a shot.

A view of the New York City skyline at sunset framed by the iron structure of a bridge, with water in the foreground reflecting the warm colors of the sky.

I go for it whenever I’m on Amtrak’s Northeast Regional or Acela heading back to Connecticut from Washington, D.C. (These photos are from my recent trip.)
In the old days, it would be when I was heading out of New York City back to Boston. (So, I’ve been at this for a while.)

And yes, I do prefer taking the train vs. a plane between these destinations. It’s much more convenient and relaxing. (The door-to-door time comparison is similar after you bake in the extra hours spent at the airport.) But I digress…

Enjoy the Show
Sunset isn’t the only time to try to capture these photos of New York City. (Shooting directly at the sun can really confuse a camera and isn’t especially great for its sensors. But a few brief clicks shouldn’t play too much havoc with the electronics.)

A vibrant sunset view over the New York City skyline, with the sun casting an orange glow and city buildings silhouetted against the colorful sky, accompanied by a tree-lined highway below.

These magic sunset minutes always call out to me as the deep orange light bathes the landscape. 

It’s both unearthly and entirely natural.

And you’ve got one of the best vantage points of this city a photographer could hope for.

A scenic view of the New York City skyline at sunset, featuring a bridge crossing a river with skyscrapers in the background and vibrant orange hues in the sky.

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April 6, 2025

Raindrops Shouldn’t Make You Miss Spring’s First Colors 

If you don’t mind getting caught in a rain shower, now’s the perfect time to snap some photos of early-spring flowers. Here’s what I saw.

Spring is always a magical time as nature’s colorful energies reemerge. But early spring in New England can be a cold and rainy period. This year in Connecticut is no different.

You can tell that the real spring surge is still at least a week away. But there are plenty signs that the big bloom is already underway. Early spring flowers have their date with destiny. As far as they’re concerned, it’s show time!  Lots of rain? No problem.

But that’s not an enticing set up for a photographer to take the camara out for a walk in the neighborhood. That said, you’d be surprised with what you might see. Just don’t forget to wear your raincoat.

That’s exactly what I did, and here’s what I spotted shining through the dreary weather…

Get Close… Really Close
I like to position my camera up close to the spring colors.
(It’s never about zooming in on a flower. You’ve got to really press your lens in.)
Yellow spring bud in ConnecticutCherry Tree Blossoms
Look for Daffodils
They’re among the first flowers to show up and always great to practice on.
Daffodil in Barrett's backyardDaffodil in Barrett's backyard close upTo be fair, the sun did peak out to illuminate this moment.

Find the Raindrops
If the opportunity presents itself, I always enjoy composing my shots to include a raindrop or two.
Purple flower bud after spring rainRaindrops on purple flower budWater droplet on red leaf

Use your Narrow Depth of Field
I used my old Panasonic Lumix LX-10 in manual focus mode to help me narrow the focus and play with some blur. That’s fun, but also challenging, because flowers don’t exist on a flat plain. So, you need to choose your focus point carefully.
Yellow flower after spring rainPurple flower bud after spring rainForsythia after spring rain

Join the Celebration
There’s nothing wrong with waiting a bit longer until spring is in full force to snap your photos. But I feel these moments of emergence are particularly special and shouldn’t be missed.

It’s been a long winter. Now’s the time to soak in some early color.

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March 30, 2025

Searching for Silhouettes on a City Street at Sunrise

People walking in Baltimore's Harbor East neighborhood at sunrise

The orange glow of the sun that floods the landscape at sunrise or sunset is a great time to photograph silhouettes and shadows. Here’s how I maximize that opportunity.

If you’re lucky enough to be walking on a city street facing due east or west when the sun is low in the sky, it’s time to take out your camera. That’s when you can easily find magical silhouettes and the shadows of people bathed in sunlight.

Your eyes may only sense a blinding fog of bright orange. But your camera can likely peer through that optical interference and capture enough detail to be later optimized in post.

When editing these photos, I find it ideal to focus on deepening the silhouette effect in a targeted fashion. I accomplish that using Adobe Lightroom with the AI-powered Masking/Objects tool. That allows me to easily select the silhouetted images in the foreground to darken them further without affecting the rest of the photo.

Here are a few examples.

Baltimore, Maryland’s Harbor East (2025)
I snapped this sunrise shot as two men walked to work by the marina.
Two men walk to work in Baltimore's Harbor East neighborhood at sunrise

Facing East at Grand Central Terminal (2012)
Though not technically a street, the Main Concourse at Grand Central channeled the morning’s rays onto New York City commuters as they rushed to their jobs. (I think some of these folks may already be late, as you can tell from the clock.)
Commuters rush through Grand Central Terminal in the morning

Facing West on a Street in Barcelona (2008)
These two women were enjoying their sunset stroll.
Two women walk on a street in Barcelona at sunset

Morning Stretch in Hong Kong (2005)
I captured this quiet moment as I explored the neighborhood during a work trip. Even if the sun isn’t in the perfect position, a shaded space with a bright background can offer your camera a similar silhouette effect.
Man's morning stretch in Hong Kong
The Power of a Good Silhouette
Whether you have your smartphone or a mirrorless camera to compose your photo (I used my Panasonic Lumix DC-ZS200D for my Baltimore pictures), sunrise and sunset are perfect times to capture the landscape.

If you can frame the bright sun in your shot, that’s great. But for me, I’m often more interested in the dark shadows.

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