Category: HDR

Ohio River Bridges Project Downtown Span Construction Site

Posted on by Nick Roberts
Ohio River Bridges Downtown Span Construction Site
Ohio River Bridges Downtown Span Construction Site

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This image shows the Ohio River Bridges Project Downtown Span construction site looking south from the Indiana approach. The triangular form in the right hand side of the photo is the base for the western section of the north tower that will support the new bridge. Across from that form you can see the rebar structure that will also be formed and filled with concrete to build the eastern section of the towers. These two sections Continue reading “Ohio River Bridges Project Downtown Span Construction Site” →

Ironworker’s Sunrise

Posted on by Nick Roberts
Ironworker's Sunrise
Ironworker’s Sunrise

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Yesterday morning was one of those mornings where getting up early really paid off. The temperature was 19 degrees with snow showers moving in from the west just before sunrise. The combination of the weather front and the cold temperature made for an incredible display of color as the sun rose. Continue reading “Ironworker’s Sunrise” →

Ohio River Bridges Project Downtown Span Construction Progress

Posted on by Nick Roberts
Ohio River Bridges Project Downtown Span, January 2014
Ohio River Bridges Project Downtown Span, January 2014

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Yesterday morning I decided to shoot an overview of the Ohio River Bridges Project Downtown Span foundation progress. I wanted to show the entire river crossing foundation work that has been accomplished so far. I went up on the Big Four Pedestrian Bridge to get far enough upriver to capture the view from shore to shore where the bridge will cross the Ohio River. I knew I wanted a panorama so I shot with the final cropping in mind.

I used a three frame bracket set of +2, 0 and -2 EV exposures that I merged in NIK HDR Efex Pro 2 and finished in Aperture 3. Currently most of my HDR work is being sent back to Aperture after very minimal tone mapping in NIK HDR Efex Pro 2 using the Balanced preset as my starting point and then adjusting exposure, contrast, highlights and shadows in Aperture 3. I also adjust the individual color channels and sharpen in Aperture 3 as well as cropping the image to the final size proportions.

My Photo is a Winner in the Engineering News Record, Year in Construction 2013, Photo Contest

Posted on by Nick Roberts
On the Ohio River Bridges Project with Sean Ellery Ironworker Local 70, Louisville, KY.
On the Ohio River Bridges Project with Sean Ellery Ironworker Local 70, Louisville, KY.

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I just learned that my photo of Ironworker Sean Ellery was chosen as a winner in the Engineering News Record, http://ENR.com, photo contest “Year in Construction 2013” There were over 1400 entries and making the grade is really gratifying.

Thanks go to Walsh Construction for giving me access and support to shoot the Ohio River Bridges Project and especially to Sean Ellery from Ironworker’s Local 70 in Louisville, KY for being part of the photograph.

2013 in review

Posted on by Nick Roberts

Tonight I want to share the annual report for the Speeddemon2.com blog that the WordPress.com stats helper monkeys prepared for 2013.

Here’s an excerpt from the 2013 annual report on the progress of Speeddemon2.com :

The concert hall at the Sydney Opera House holds 2,700 people. This blog was viewed about 43,000 times in 2013. If it were a concert at Sydney Opera House, it would take about 16 sold-out performances for that many people to see it.

This report about 2013 was very exciting news for me. I have worked hard the past year to share my knowledge about Construction photography and HDR photography with the world and the results are very gratifying. People from 136 countries have visited Speeddemon2.com to see my photos and explore the HDR techniques that I have been using to create them. My goal in 2014 is to grow from 950 followers to 10,000 followers and to foster even more interest in HDR photography and my approach to construction photography.

In addition to the Speeddemon2 blog I’m also working on a several year project to document the Ohio River Bridges Project that will showcase the men and women who are building this massive construction project which will forever transform Louisville’s waterfront. My project will encompass nearly three years of photos with quarterly books that will reflect the progress of the project from season to season. Currently I am editing the first volume of these books which will feature the Fall of 2013 foundation work and the people who are building the project. In the end, probably in 2016, I will be compiling a larger book that will draw on the quarterly volumes and document the Ohio River Bridges Project for posterity.

None of this would have been possible without my decision in 2012 to start the Speeddemon2 blog and share my photography with the world. I am so grateful for those who started following and commenting on my work early on which further strengthened my resolve to keep publishing. I also need to thank the men and women of the construction industry who allowed me to embed myself with them as I honed my skills both as a photographer and as an advocate for the people who build our civic infrastructure. I look forward to what the future has in store for me and I sincerely hope that I do justice to the support that so many people have shown for my work as Speeddemon2.com has evolved.

Click here to see the complete 2013 report.