Soaring on a Manhattan Morning

“Manhattanhenge” is a combination of astronomy and architecture. Because New York City’s streets have a nearly perfect east-west pathway, there are several times during the year when the sun sets RIGHT in the pathway of traffic, or rises RIGHT in the pathway of traffic. To capture a “Manhattanhenge” photo is an accomplishment in and of itself.

I want to get one of those Manhattanhenge sunshine shots.

So I decided I’d try for a “Reverse Manhattanhenge,” where I capture the sun as it RISES, with the sunlight streaming through the buildings.

1 – I could stand at the intersection of 41st Street and 5th Avenue, at the steps of the New York Public Library, and photograph the sun as it rises between the 41st Street buildings. But since everyone and his cousin will be there, and all it takes is one clod to bump into me while I’m capturing this moment … let all the Instagrammers have that shot.

I’ll go with the other option. The “other option” puts me on the shores of Weehawken, New Jersey, where I can photograph the sun as it peeks through the buildings across the Hudson River.

Let’s check my travel options. Are there any mass transit options that can get me to New York City in the morning and bring me back home in time? Nope. Neither Greyhound nor Trailways nor Amtrak would arrive in time for me to capture this phenomenon.

My only option – drive to New York City. Or, in reality, drive to Secaucus, New Jersey.

But if I get that photo …

It’ll all be worth it in the end.

I decided on my digital Nikon Df as a “guarantee” that I’ll get the shot. I packed three different ultra-wide angle lenses, so that I had options available to me.

Saturday night. I arrive in Secaucus, check into the Red Roof, watch some football (why can’t the Pittsburgh Steelers SHOW UP during the postseason? Ugh and double ugh), and tried to sleep.

I say “tried.” Because I could not sleep. Not one wink. I tossed and turned so much, Bobby Lewis could have sung me to sleep.

Okay. 5:00 a.m. May as well get out of bed, shower up, and drive to Weehawken.

And I have to be careful. There are so many hidden side streets between Secaucus and Weehawken … one wrong turn, and I could end up in the Lincoln Tunnel on my way to Manhattan. Which is where I DON’T want to be right now. And once I arrive in Weehawken, I need to find parking. Somewhere I can park without worrying that Lightning’s Girl will end up in a New Jersey impound yard.

And at the last moment, I found an apartment complex on the Hudson River waterfront. And lo and behold, there’s parking. And a sign. TWO HOUR PARKING LIMIT said the sign. Well, that will work for me.

Just as I parked the car, an Uber pulled up, letting two people out. And those two people had camera tripods. And they’re heading to the waterfront shore.

Well, I’m not going to waste this opportunity. If they know where they’re going, I’m following them. And if they get a good spot, I’m calling dibs right next to them.

The two camera aficionados set up their tripods. Sony A7 user on my left, Canon shooter on my right. “Is there room over here?” I asked. They nodded. Quickly set up my tripod, and mounted my Nikon Df on it. Chose the Nikkor 20mm f/2.8 lens, figuring I could get the skyline and some reflective sunrays with this piece of glass.

We chatted for a few minutes. Both of the shooters came from Sweden. And I thought Albany was a far haul for a Manhattanhenge photo. Little did I know.

Okay, let’s test my settings. It’s 6:30. Let’s see if I can get everything in nice and tight.

God freakin’ DAMN. And I’ve got the chasm of 42nd Street dead center in front of me. Aces.

More camera users on the way. A wedding photographer from Commack, Long Island. A family from the Scranton-Wilkes-Barre area. By the time 7:00 a.m. arrived, there were a dozen lenses pointed across the Hudson River. Some people wanted a tight shot of 42nd Street; others were planning a time-lapse setup.

And at 7:19 a.m. Eastern Standard Time … the sun rose.

Right dead center in 42nd Street.

Now this is cool. Seriously cool.

Trust me, I got the photo. Here’s proof of my proof.

But it looks like every other Manhattanhenge photo.

You know what I wanted? Ducks. Geese. Seagulls. Any sort of waterfowl.

And just at that moment … a bird flew by.

Get the shot, Chuck. Get the shot, get the shot, get the shot …

Got the shot. I don’t know if I’m going to use the shot with the bird or the shot without the bird, but I’m spoiled for choice for a Competition Season 2025 entry, for sure.

Now I need to get home. All I need to do is trust my GPS, and I should be back home in nothing flat.

And … yep. Missed one turn, and next thing I know, I’m driving through the Lincoln Tunnel directly into New York City. And I have to get OUT of New York City before I pass 60th Street, or I’ll incur a $9 “congestion tax” – I mean, I wouldn’t mind paying a congestion tax if I actually DID something IN New York City, but I’m trying to get to the West Side Highway to pick up the George Washington Bridge to the Palisades Parkway, and the Thruway after that.

No matter. Somehow I navigated off Manhattan Island, and made my way back home.

Achievement unlocked.