Category: Waterfront Park

November Sunset #2

Posted on by Nick Roberts
Ohio River Bridges Project at Sunset #2
Ohio River Bridges Project at Sunset #2

Click on the image to enlarge it in another window.

This HDR image was also taken from the Big Four Bridge approach ramp Wednesday evening. I was down in Waterfront Park to capture the sunset over the Walsh Construction Downtown Span section of the Ohio River Bridges Project when I saw that the few remaining clouds were picking up a gorgeous pink light. I stuck around and was lucky enough to get this image.

My processing was pretty straightforward using NIK HDR Efex Pro 2 to merge and align the bracket set and using the balanced preset to start my final processing in Aperture 3. It took a while to get the contrast and color to suit me but after a few minutes of experimenting I settled on this image.

Sunset on the Ohio River

Posted on by Nick Roberts
Sunset on the Ohio River
Sunset on the Ohio River

Click on the image to enlarge it in another window.

This image was shot from the ramp leading up to the Big Four Bridge. Three shot bracket set merged in NIK HDR Efex Pro 2 and finished in Aperture 3.

HDR at Night

Posted on by Nick Roberts

 

Big Four Bridge Ramp at Night
Big Four Bridge Ramp at Night

Click on the image to enlarge it in another window.

This HDR image is a three frame bracket set +2,0 and -2 EV. I merged it in NIK HDR Efex Pro 2 and finished it in Aperture 3. The flares around the lights are from the f8 aperture which adds a star burst to almost all artificial lights; the way around it is to shoot with as wide an aperture as possible which will reduce it greatly.

Louisville at Night
Louisville at Night

Click on the image to enlarge it in another window.

This HDR image was created using the same procedure as the first. I was shooting from the Big Four Bridge looking  south west from a vantage point close to the Indiana side of the Ohio River.

Early Morning In Waterfront Park

Posted on by Nick Roberts
Big Four Morning
Big Four Morning

Click on the image to enlarge it in another window.

I shot this image on Saturday morning last week before the crowds arrived. The morning was relatively calm and the park had only a few people in it at that time. There were many people walking up on the bridge to catch the first moments of the day as others were busy exercising on the lawn around the swing garden. I like the peaceful feeling that the early morning light gives the image.

Saturday Morning Boot Camp
Saturday Morning Boot Camp

Click on the image to enlarge it in another window.

This is one of my favorite angles to photograph the Swing Garden and the Louisville Skyline from the Big Four Bridge. I like the way the geometric layout of the park comes out from this vantage point. On the right can be seen the barges and equipment that are being used to build the piers for the new Ohio River Bridges Project Downtown Crossing. Walsh Construction seems to be taking great pains to keep the job site clean and orderly which is their way of showing respect for the Louisville Waterfront Park and it’s wonderful features such as the Swing Garden and the Lincoln Memorial with the wonderful sculptures by Louisville’s native son and nationally renowned sculptor, Mr. Ed Hamilton.

This image is a three frame bracket set of +2, 0 and -2 EV HDR image created using NIK HDR Efex Pro 2 and Aperture 3. After merging in NIK HDR Efex Pro 2 I returned the HDR image to Aperture 3 for additional adjustment to the contrast, color channels, sharpening and minor cropping. I also added a slight vignette to the final image to lead the viewer’s eye into the frame.

In the coming months I will be sharing images from the Ohio River Bridges Project as I shoot it from inside the actual job sites. I will be sharing photos of not only the physical progress of the project; I will also be showing the men and women who are doing the work to build this much anticipated bridge and it’s transformation of the Louisville waterfront. I hope you will follow along as work progresses and sign up for email announcements when I post new work; to do that simply follow SpeedDemon2.com via the sign up box at the top of the page.

 

Forecastle Fun

Posted on by Nick Roberts
Forecastle Blew His Mind
Forecastle Blew His Mind

Click on the image to enlarge it in another window.

Saturday evening I went down to Waterfront Park for the Forecastle Festival. I wanted to capture the frenzy and activity that Forecastle is known for. I opted to shoot bracketed shots of -2, 0 and +2 EV for eventual creation of HDR images of the crowd. I expected blur and indistinct faces due to the slow shutter speeds that were entailed and I was pleasantly surprised by this bracket set that left one man in the scene without his head. I played around with the anti-ghosting setting and finally applied 20% which rendered his head as a faint blur. After tone-mapping the initial merged shots in NIK HDR Efex Pro 2 I returned the file to Aperture 3 for final color, contrast and sharpening adjustments.

Forecastle Fun #2
Forecastle Fun #2

Click on the image to enlarge it in another window.

I applied much the same processing to this image too. I especially like the way the purple light from the water feature illuminated the underside of the bridge and added color to the shadows on the figure in the foreground.