Danny Liang
Journal 4
English 1101-D394 (Prof. Scanlan)
September 29, 2015
Favorite Photograph Among The Six
      I liked the “Manhattan Bridge, From Bowery and Canal Street, Manhattan to Warren and Bridge Street, Brooklyn” photograph taken by Berenice Abbott because it shows amazingly clear details on the section of the bridge that was photographed back in 1936. Considering this was the early 1900’s this kind of clear detail focus is quite amazing for a black and white photograph. The angle of focus is what most people would see if they were on the bridge itself and looking upwards to try to spot the top of the tower of the bridge. Berenice Abbott might have taken this photo based on a tourist’s point of view if they were to visit New York City to show what they should expect to see. If a tourist were to visit the bridge, I’m sure they’d rather be up close to it rather than looking at it from a distance.
      The bridge’s construction started in 1901 and finished 8 years later in 1909. So the bridge was 27 years old during the time this photograph was taken. If you were to look at the bridge now, the age of the bridge shows from all the weather after a century. Even when we have workers maintaining this bridge after all this time, they can’t keep the entire bridge as clean as the state it started as when they first constructed it. The photograph helps us get to know at least 2 different views of bridge, the bridge we know now and the bridge we didn’t get to know.
Best regards,
Danny Liang
Hey Danny, I found your journal about Berenice Abbott’s photo “Manhattan Bridge, From Bowery and Canal Street, Manhattan to Warren and Bridge Street, Brooklyn” quite interesting. I like how you mentioned how the photo was taken from the point of view of a tourist. I agree that she wanted to represent that photo in a way so that the viewer can visualize what the bridge looks like, without having to be there in person. Also, I like how you gave information on the bridge’s history, therefore I know how the difference on how the bridge looked before and now. I would like to know, what did the bridge mean to you? And why do you think Abbott put such a long title for a photo that appears to be simplistic?
– Raylin Antigua
Bridges are the sort of secret treasures in their respective cities. Just by looking at the photograph, if there was no indication of it being a pillar of the Manhattan Bridge, one would think it was a sort of express elevator of some sort, due to the criss-cross pattern that runs up the base. Each bridge is unique, and in that, has its own little things to appreciate about it. The black and white of the photo helps to enhance the quality of the bridge. I say that because the clash of different shades of the blue on the bridge and the sky would’ve dampened the effect of the photo if it was taken in modern time, don’t you think?