We are still on 42nd Street, but considerably east of Times Square. The architecture has changed tremendously, replacing the glitz of nightlife with classic buildings.

I was always familiar with the giant statue in the center of Grand Central Terminal’s facade, but that night was the first time I noticed the eagle. It stood there proudly, all lit up, beckoning me to make a picture. Better still, I could use the Chrysler Building, one of my favorite skyscrapers, as the backdrop.

The actual execution was more difficult than it might seem. My old 1970 Leica Summicron flared horribly, washing out the foreground architecture. Conversely, the background buildings, including the Chrysler, weren’t particularly bright. I did some extra post-processing to better realize the concept, though the result still wasn’t quite what I envisioned. Perhaps I should try this composition again during the daytime or under better light.

This was the last picture of the night and put the cap on a long and successful day of tourism and my two-hour solo photowalk. The Leica M 246, with its manual-focus lens and primitive metering, required extra care, but I was happy with the results. The Leica M works better when I can concentrate on the photography instead of easily snapping away as I do with my modern cameras. However, that extra hurdle often brings about stronger photographs.

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