A Lucky Photo I took in New York City

I was in New York City for work, and one night I decided to head out with my camera to take some pictures. I’ve always loved long exposure photography. I really like turning car headlights into streaks of light. It adds an abstract element and gives the image a sense of life and motion. It’s not a fast process. You set up the camera on a tripod, find your composition, and then wait. You need the right timing, and it’s easy to mess up. I usually end up standing in the same spot for a long time trying to get it just right.

That night, I set up in front of Radio City Music Hall. I had my composition framed and was waiting for the right amount of cars to pass. Out of nowhere, a woman stepped into the frame and raised her arm to hail a cab. At first, I was frustrated. It was pretty obvious I was in the middle of taking a photo. But then I looked at my monitor and realized she was standing in the perfect spot.

So I started taking pictures.

With long exposures, if your subject moves even slightly, they usually turn into a blurry mess. The shutter stays open for one to three seconds, so people almost never stay still enough. But somehow, she did. She must have been standing like a statue because the image turned out perfectly. It looks like I hired a model, posed her, and lit the whole scene. But I didn’t. It was pure chance, and it completely elevated the photo. There is even a taxi driving by at the perfect moment, its like the stars all aligned for this picture.

It’s now one of my favorite images I’ve ever taken.

I’ve thought about trying to find her online somehow. I’d love to give her a copy of the photo. There’s a chance she would appreciate it as much as I do.

I wish her feet were not cut off, but beggars cant be choosers.

Here is another picture I took in Times Square that night.