John Canaday, in his introduction
to Berenice Abbott American Photographer, described Berenice Abbotts
careful preparations to get the perfect picture to be "almost as
if a trap had been set." (Berenice Abbott American Photographer,
Hank ONeal 1982) Abbott prided herself on her exacting working methods,
and relished in spending time fine tuning her compositions and adjusting
focus and camera angles. New York at Night is a great example of
how hours of study and planning to "set a trap" could pay off.
Abbott calculated that in order to get this dramatic night shot with
all the office lights on she would need to expose the film in her camera
for 15 minutes. She knew that most people left their offices in Manhattan
at 5:00 p.m., and of course when they left they turned the lights off.
The only night in the year that it would be dark enough before 5:00 p.m.
to create the contrast between the building lights and the night sky is
the shortest day of the year, December 20th. Abbott also knew that she
couldnt be in any wind if she had to leave her cameras shutter
open for 15 minutes, as the slightest motion could blur her picture. She
sought out a building with the perfect view and got permission from the
landlord to use a window. At sunset on December 20, 1934 Abbott was all
set up, the weather was clear, and she got her picture.
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