"A life is not important except in the impact it has
on other lives"
Jackie Robinson (Brooklyn Dodgers)
This post is lovingly dedicated to the memory of my dad, Harry Friedman. He passed away on July 15th at the age of 91.
Manhattan's skyline is one of the most recognizable images in the world. When my parents were born in the early 1920's, the Flatiron Building (21 floors) was one of the tallest buildings in Manhattan. During their childhood (my mom grew up in The Bronx, while my dad was in Brooklyn), iconic structures like the Chrysler Building and the Empire State Building were completed. This past year, the new World Trade Center (the "Freedom Tower") has been a significant addition to the city, as well as being a symbol of American resilience. Other new skyscrapers are on the way, and they will contribute to the Manhattan skyline's ongoing evolution.
To see some of my earlier photographs of Manhattan, click HERE. The new images below (all taken in July, 2015) are from three locations, each on a different day: 1) Jersey City, New Jersey (morning of July 5th); 2) Weehawken, New Jersey (evening of July 13th); and 3) "DUMBO" in Brooklyn, New York (morning of July 19th). Each of these areas offers a beautiful view of the Manhattan skyline. The New Jersey locations are back-lit in the morning and front or side-lit at sunset. From DUMBO (Brooklyn), Manhattan is front-lit in the morning and back or side-lit at sunset.
When I started shooting these photographs of the changing Manhattan skyline, I was focusing largely on the view from New Jersey. I took the first of the photographs below early in the morning (July 5th) at the Liberty State Park, in Jersey City, New Jersey. This is directly across the Hudson River from Lower Manhattan. The location offers terrific views of both Lower Manhattan (including the World Trade Center) as well as Midtown Manhattan (i.e. including the Empire State Building, Chrysler Building, etc.). The park is home to the "Empty Sky" New Jersey 9/11 Memorial - a beautiful, emotionally moving tribute to New Jersey residents who lost their lives in the September 11th, 2001 terrorist attacks.
On the evening of July 13th I went to Weehawken (near the Lincoln Harbor Yacht Club), New Jersey to photograph the Manhattan skyline at sunset. This is directly across the Hudson River from the Empire State Building and midtown Manhattan. At Sunset, it offered beautiful light on Lower Manhattan (and the World Trade Center).
I took the last batch of photographs in Brooklyn. My dad grew up there until he was 18, when he left to serve in the Army Corp of Engineers during and after World War II (largely in Germany). A few mornings after he died, as a tribute to my him, I photographed the Manhattan skyline from Brooklyn ("DUMBO" - Down Under the Manhattan Bridge Overpass). There is an area near the Manhattan Bridge, right by the river, that offers wonderful views of the Brooklyn Bridge with Lower Manhattan, or the Manhattan Bridge with midtown.
I chose the above Jackie Robinson quote in memory of my dad, a childhood fan of the Brooklyn Dodgers, and a big fan of Robinson. Through his positive spirit, his sense of humor, his warmth, and his general enthusiasm for life, my dad had a tremendously positive impact on my life and our whole family.
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| Lower Manhattan just after Sunrise. July 5, 2015. From Liberty State Park, Jersey City, NJ. |
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| "Empty Sky" New Jersey 9/11 Memorial and World Trade Center (Freedom Tower). July 5, 2015 (Morning). Liberty State Park, Jersey City, NJ |
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| Binoculars and Empire State Building. July 5, 2015 (Morning). From Liberty State Park, Jersey City, NJ |
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| Lower Manhattan with World Trade Center. July 5, 2015 (Morning). From The Hudson River Waterfront Walkway, Jersey City, NJ. |
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| Empire State Building. July 13, 2015 (Evening) From Weehawken, New Jersey. |
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| View of Midtown Manhattan From Lincoln Harbor Yacht Club, Weehawken, NJ July 13, 2015 (Evening) |
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| Manhattan Skyline (photo stitch from 5 exposures) From Weehawken, NJ. July 13, 2015 (Evening) |
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| Lower Manhattan at Sunset (July 13, 2015) from Weehawken, NJ. |
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| Brooklyn Bridge and Lower Manhattan. Early Morning (July 19, 2015) From "DUMBO", Brooklyn, NY. |
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| Manhattan Bridge and Midtown Manhattan. Early Morning (July 19, 2015) From "DUMBO", Brooklyn, NY. |
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| Brooklyn Bridge and Lower Manhattan, with World Trade Center. Early Morning (July 19, 2015) From "DUMBO", Brooklyn, NY. |
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| View of Manhattan Bridge from Washington Street. Brooklyn, NY (morning of July 19, 2015) |
