42nd street – The Graceful Image http://thegracefulimage.com Photography by Zev Steinhardt Wed, 01 Jan 2020 20:52:16 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=4.9.13 Manhattanhenge! http://thegracefulimage.com/manhattanhenge/ Tue, 19 Jul 2016 12:19:07 +0000 http://thegracefulimage.com/?p=822 Twice a year, the sunset aligns with Manhattan’s street grid, causing it to appear like the sun is setting right in the middle of the street.  When that happens (and when it’s not cloudy), it’s an awesome opportunity for a great photo.  Huge crowds gather in the streets to take pictures of this very unusual sight.

Manhattanhenge 2016This was my picture from the last time this occurred, on July 11.  I was standing on the corner of 42nd Street and 2nd Avenue when this shot was taken.  So far, this photo has become my most popular photo ever.

Manhattanhenge is a truly wonderful time to take a picture in New York for several reasons.  First of all, by definition, it’s in the golden hour, that wonderful time of day when photographs have that warm glow from the low-hanging sun.  In addition, it’s very unusual for New Yorkers to see the sun at the horizon.  Usually, during the rest of the year, Manhattanites cannot see the sunset because it’s blocked by the buildings and skyscrapers.  However, on these days, we can actually see the sun go down from most of the island.  Lastly, it’s a great opportunity to photograph crowds of people, as I did above.

The next sunset Manhattanhenge will be in late May 2017.  In the meantime, if you want to purchase prints of this shot (starting at $28), please visit my sales site.

Zev

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