You can find bridges of all shapes and sizes around the world, but no matter where they are, they’re all there to get people from point A to point B. Even if photographers aren’t interested in getting from point A to point B, they might be interested in the bridge itself.
Of course, not every bridge is a great bridge. A great bridge has a fascinating structure. It’s man-made but becomes part of the landscape, too. It has a functional purpose but is known for its unique architecture. Sometimes it’s not the bridge itself, but the location that makes it special. As a photographer, you get to show all these sides of a bridge.
Bridges are in many ways a perfect subject for photography. They have strong leading lines. If they’re long, you can use them for a vanishing point perspective. You could portray the cultural aspect of bridges or the architectural details. A lot of bridges have interesting surroundings, like cities, rivers, or landscapes, that make them photo-ready.
Here’s a list with 20 bridges from all over the world that are great for photography. Each bridge has two photos to show two different ways of capturing its unique beauty.
1. Golden Gate Bridge
San Francisco, CA, United States
Frank Schulenburg — The Bridge
Frank Schulenburg — The Bridge
2. Tower Bridge
London, England
Paul Shears — The Three Towers
3. Sydney Harbour Bridge
Sydney, Australia
Wyncliffe — More Sydney Harbour Bridge
Nicki Mannix — Under The Bridge
4. Ponte Vecchio
Florence, Italy
Christian Schirrmacher — Florenz – Ponte Vecchio
Tim Sackton — Ponte Vecchio, Night
5. Charles Bridge
Prague, Czech Republic
Roman Boed — Prague: Charles Bridge in the Mist
6. Akashi Kaikyō Bridge
Kobe, Japan
Manish Prabhune — Akashi Kaikyo Bridge World, Hyogo, Japan
7. Millau Viaduct
Millau, France
Corentin Foucaut — Viaduc de Millau
8. Si-o-seh pol
Isfahan, Iran
Richard Weil — Si-o-se Pol bridge Ispahan Iran
9. Brooklyn Bridge
New York, NY, United States
Jonathan Gross — Brooklyn Bridge
Clément Belleudy — Brooklyn Bridge
10. U Bein Bridge
Amarapura, Myanmar
Jason Eppink — sunset at U Bein’s Bridge
11. Erasmus Bridge
Rotterdam, The Netherlands
Roman Boed — Rotterdam: Erasmus Bridge
Marja van Bochove — Erasmus’s harp
12. Victoria Falls Bridge
Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe/Livingston, Zambia
Harvey Barrison — Victoria Falls
Steve Jurvetson — Victoria Falls
13. Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge
Ballintoy, Northern Ireland
Giuseppe Milo — Carrick-a-rede, Northern Ireland
Tony Webster — Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge
14. Bixby Creek Bridge
Big Sur, CA, United States
15. Henderson Waves Bridge
Mount Faber Park, Singapore
Schristia — Henderson Waves Bridge, Singapore
16. Bosphorus Bridge
Istanbul, Turkey
mehmet bilgin — Bosphorus Bridge
Esin Üstün — Ships on the Bosphorus and the Bridge, Istanbul
17. The Forth Bridge
Firth of Forth, Scotland
Chris Combe — Forth Bridge Blues
Adrian Snood — The Forth Bridge: Scotland
18. Confederation Bridge
Prince Edward Island/New Brunswick, Canada
Jamie McCaffrey — Confederation Bridge
Phillip Grondin — Pont de la Confédération/Confederation Bridge
19. Double Helix Bridge
Marina Bay, Singapore
Steve Collis — Double Helix Bridge Panorama
20. Millenium Bridge
London, England
Mauricio Lima — Saint Pauls and Millenium Bridge
Michiel Jelijs — Millenium Bridge