NYC Tribute in Lights
As a memorial to the worst terrorist attacks in United States history, the National September 11 Memorial & Museum hosts the annual ‘Tribute in Lights’ art installation. For the entire night between September 11th and September 12th, the memorial shines 2 light beams into the night sky to represent the 2 towers and over 3,000 people lost on September 11th, 2001. Each beam is composed of 44, 7,000 watt xenon lights and can be seen from over 60 miles from downtown Manhattan. In remembrance of the victims of the 9/11 attacks, for 3 years I have found hours to photograph the tribute and visit some of the memorials dedicated to the attack victims.
My experiences photographing the lights at:
Liberty State Park
My first time watching the Tribute in Lights was from Liberty State Park adjacent to Jersey City. The state park, which hosts sweeping views of lower and midtown Manhattan, also is home to the Empty Sky Memorial. Specifically honoring New Jersey’s losses from the attacks, the Empty Sky Memorial contains twin walls with 746 victim’s names directed towards Ground Zero. In front of the walls, there is a pair of beams from the twin towers, now flooded with signatures and flowers to remember the lost. After walking through the memorial, I set up a tripod on the edge of the Hudson. With a long exposure, the tides of the river can be flattened and the lights from the skyscrapers across the river become vibrant. Although the night was largely clouded over, the sheer strength of the light made them still easily visible– the lights even illuminated the surrounding clouds. For one more shot, I moved my tripod to behind the twin towers beam. Facing the lights, I composed an image of the Empty Sky Memorial with the Tribute in Lights in the background.
DUMBO
Whereas Liberty State Park captures the tribute lights from west of Manhattan, locations in Brooklyn get eastern views of the lights. Down Under the Manhattan Bridge Overpass (DUMBO) in Brooklyn offers an entirely different perspective of the Tribute in Lights. Positioned between the Manhattan and Brooklyn Bridges, this area provides a striking view of the lights framed by these iconic structures. In my second year photographing the installation, I arrived early to find a prime spot along the Old Pier (mentioned in my ‘NYC Viewpoints’ article). From here, the lights rise behind the lower Manhattan skyline, creating a breathtaking composition. The Old Pier’s foreground of worn planks and supports create a silhouette against the glow of the tribute lights. With a long exposure, the light’s shimmering reflections on the East River added a dreamlike quality to the photos. My favorite shot of the night was taken from the edge of the Old Pier, where the beams of light seemed to rise directly from the river, blending the natural and urban landscapes.
Port Jersey
For my third seeing the lights display, I went to a viewpoint I never even knew was a viewpoint– at Port Jersey. Located deep in the industrial part of Bayonne, the port hardly sees any non-commercial visitors. Because of its difficult access, Port Jersey rarely comes up in any lists of best places to see the New York skyline. However, because the port juts out into New York Harbor, Port Jersey places the Statue of Liberty, Empire State Building and Freedom Tower all in one frame. When I noticed this (while scouring google maps), I knew I had to try photographing the tribute here. Although I would have expected this far fetched location to receive few visitors, it was packed with photographers for the tribute. On typical nights the area is not safe, however that night it was bright with camera lights. As I had hoped, the views were excellent! Even without the blinding Tribute in Light beams, the unique city angle is sure to catch the eye of any New Yorker. When photographing from the port, I recommend both facing north off Port Jersey Boulevard and the corner where the road bends towards the south. Just make sure to have a telephoto lens at hand for the 3.5 mile view into lower Manhattan.
