When Japanese people see this photograph, they may also feel that it looks like Tokyo, but somehow does not look like Tokyo at the same time.
For a moment, you may even wonder if it is a composite image.
Tokyo Skytree appears between the tall apartment buildings, with the lights of Tokyo Bay in the foreground. The night view almost looks too gorgeous to be real, but this is an actual view you can see in Tokyo.
And surprisingly, this photograph was taken from the pedestrian walkway of Rainbow Bridge.
You can walk across Rainbow Bridge, and around the middle of the bridge, there is a point where you can see a view like this.
Of course, you cannot stop a car in the middle of the bridge to take photographs.
This Is a Difficult Place to Photograph
Taking this photograph is more difficult than it may look.
First, if you want to create this composition, I recommend using a telephoto lens of at least 300mm.
There are restrictions on using tripods on the Rainbow Bridge walkway, so I recommend taking the photograph handheld.
When using a telephoto lens handheld, normally you want to use a faster shutter speed. However, because this is a night photograph, a faster shutter speed means that you may need to use a very high ISO.
I usually start with a shutter speed that I can safely use handheld, and then also try slower speeds such as 1/60, 1/50, or sometimes even 1/30 second.
Of course, many photographs may be blurred. But if you take many shots, you may find one photograph that is surprisingly sharp.
I adjust the aperture and ISO little by little while checking the shutter speed. Because it is a night scene, you will probably need to use a fairly high ISO.
At this location, you may take more than 50 photographs just to get one really good shot.
The Biggest Challenge Is the Vibration
One of the biggest reasons is that Rainbow Bridge itself moves slightly.
Cars and trucks are constantly crossing the bridge, and the Yurikamome train also runs across it.
The bridge does not move like a swing, of course. But when you are photographing a night scene with a long telephoto lens, even small vibrations can affect the photograph.
When a truck or a Yurikamome train passes, you can sometimes clearly feel the vibration. Even normal cars can cause some movement.
So I watch the traffic and wait for a moment when there is as little vibration as possible before pressing the shutter.
This may be the biggest challenge when photographing from this location.
You may need many attempts, but I hope you can capture a great photograph.
And of course, some post-processing after the shoot is also important.
