The Golden Gate bridge is a suspension bridge, and is the twelfth longest in the world. The bridge’s cables system is fairly simple; they run straight up and down. Although eye-pleasing, the “wow factor” of the bridge’s design lies more in its sheer size and length, and bright orange color, than in intricate or lavish details. Photography of the bridge tends to focus on its length and lighting system rather than up close details. It is an icon in the city of San Francisco, and has been declared one of the Wonders of the Modern World by the American Society of Civil Engineers, which is why this bridge continues to be upgraded and improved rather than replaced.
The Brooklyn Bridge, by contrast, is a cable-stayed/suspension bridge hybrid. It was the first steel-wired bridge of its kind, and has an intricate crossing wire design. The bridge also has two large towers from which the cables run to support the bridge deck. The bridge contains limestone, granite, and Rosendale cement and is neo-Gothic style, giving it a much more historic look than the Golden Gate bridge, with many more fine details. Photographs of this bridge showcase its wire system and detail on the pillars, rather than its overall size and appearance. This bridge, too, is iconic in New York City, and continues to be renovated rather than rebuilt in order to preserve this historic landmark (it was actually designated a National Historic Landmark in 1964).
I think that the Brooklyn Bridge gives us a peek into past architecture while still practicing new, innovative techniques, while the Golden Gate Bridge was a step toward a new, more modern look and era in architecture and engineering.