Tag: bridges

Time Gone By

Posted on February 12, 2013 by Nick Roberts

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I wanted to try something a little different with these bridge images. I decided to take them into Nik Siver Efex Pro and see what might come from that. I first used my -2, 0, and +2 EV bracket set to create a HDR image in NIK HDR Efex Pro 2 which I then adjusted for exposure and tone mapped it. I returned it to Aperture 3 where I made a few adjustments to saturation, vibrance and detail slider before doing my final sharpening. After doing that I took that image into NIK Silver Efex Pro where I used the antique preset to create the image above.

Light at the End of the Tunnel — Looking Back To An Earlier Time

For the image above I followed essentially the same process, bracket set to HDR then back to Aperture for some adjustments and finally into NIK Silver Efex Pro where I applied the neutral preset and chose the Agfa 400 film look along with a little red filter to finish it

The Day the Bridge Came to Life

Posted on February 11, 2013 by Nick Roberts

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Once the people started using the bridge on opening day it went from a static thing to a living structure. I was surprised how much difference I saw once people were walking on the ramp and bridge. Having that many people up there really helped add some scale reference to things. Before that moment I knew how big it was but without people on there it was hard to get a feel for what a massive structure the ramp and bridge really is.

This image is another bracket set of three frames shot at -2, 0, and +2 EV and merged in NIK HDR Efex Pro 2 then finished in Aperture 3. I first tried the merger at 20% anti-ghosting and nearly all the figures were distorted so I returned it to the merge setting and boosted the anti ghosting to 60% which solved the problem and gave me the results I was looking for.

Last Moments Alone on the Bridge

Posted on February 10, 2013 by Nick Roberts

Last Morning Alone With the Big Four Bridge

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These images are some of the last images I shot of the Big Four Bridge before it opened to the public. It was a bittersweet moment as I stood there that morning looking at the finished project. I thought back to my first day up there and how much it had changed in the six months that had ensued.

I remembered how frightened I was as I first walked near the edge with only the safety cables to protect me. I thought back to my first view of the city from up there and how beautiful the Waterfront Park looked. I recalled the days when Tim took me up in the manlift to view the bridge from above, to see it just as he and the ironworkers saw it. I thought about the amazing transformation that took place after the handrails were installed and the railroad tracks were cut and stained into the deck.

Most of all I felt a loss for the day to day interaction with the men working there and knowing that I wouldn’t be likely to see many of them again on the bridge. Recalling my first interaction with the construction crew, how we became friends; how they would ask me where I had been if I wasn’t there one day.

The thing I will miss the most is to have been a part of the team that gave Louisville a wonderful gift, a fantastic experience that I may never have again. I will cherish this bridge and the company of the men who rescued it for the rest of my life. Whenever I go there or drive past there those guys will be in my thoughts and a smile will form.

Last Morning Alone with the Bridge. — Last Morning Alone with the Big Four Bridge #2

Both of these images are multiple exposures, three frames each, merged in HDR Efex Pro 2 and finished in Aperture 3. I shot the bracket set handheld at +2, 0 and -2 EV which was possible mainly because it was such a bright day and the shutter speed was high. I have begun to employ the bracketing feature on my Nikon D90 more and more when shooting HDR. I find it allows me to focus my attention on the framing of the image more easily. It also frees me from my tripod when I’m on the move or the situation doesn’t favor using a tripod. The only downside I have found is that these bursts of images sometimes overwhelm the camer’s processor and slow down my shooting.

The First Person to Reach The Bridge on Opening Day

Posted on February 8, 2013 by Nick Roberts

The First Runner on the Big Four Bridge.

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When the official ceremony was over I decided that I wanted to see who would be the first person to set foot on the Big Four Bridge yesterday. The officials running the opening had decided not to allow any media to go up on the bridge ahead of the general public so I had to think of another way to capture the first person to set foot on the bridge. Earlier in the morning I had scouted out a shooting spot on the ground under the ramp; as soon as the gate was opened I headed there. I had two women in my viewfinder, who were walking up the ramp ahead of the crowd, when this runner passed them just as they all three passed under the bridge.

I turned my attention to the runner and captured him as he reached the halfway point on the ramp. I was able to capture him in several frames until he reached the landing. After that he disappeared onto the bridge and I wasn’t able to see him any longer from my vantage point. This morning’s paper reported that the first person to reach the Indiana side was a woman bicyclist; she must have passed this runner on the bridge.

If anyone knows who he is I would like to have his name so that I can give him proper credit for being the first person to set foot on the bridge after the dedication. If you know him you can leave his name in the comments section of the blog and I will come back and give him the credit he is due.

I was shooting brackets for HDR yesterday too but I chose this single exposure to process. My only photo editor for this image was Aperture 3.

Big Four Bridge Opening Thursday 02-07-2013

Posted on February 6, 2013 by Nick Roberts

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I thought that with the opening of the Big Four Bridge set for Thursday morning I would look back over the past six months of my posts about the bridge. Photographing this project has been one of the most rewarding experiences in my life as an artist and photographer. Shooting almost daily, getting to know the construction crew, learning about bridge building, seeing my hometown from a vantage point few have ever experienced and expanding my photographic skills are all things that happened because I chose to create this blog which then led to my gaining access to the project.

I started the SpeedDemon2 blog last summer and tried to post a new image each day. Had I not posted a photo of clouds moving over the bridge after a thunderstorm on the blog, it would not have been seen by the Waterfront Development Corporation. Without them seeing that photo the Waterfront Development Corporation wouldn’t have had any reason to contact me or grant me access to the project and I would not have gotten the opportunity to go up on the bridge during the final phase of the conversion from abandoned railroad bridge to a pedestrian bridge and a central component of Louisville Waterfront Park.

When people ask me about how to get recognition for their photography I always tell them to blog about their work. I relate my story about the exposure and opportunities blogging has given me and my work, not only here in Louisville but around the world too.

I can’t begin to list everyone who helped me and took me under their wings as I moved forward with my personal plan for this body of work. I want to thank the Waterfront Development Corporation, Construction Solutions LLC and T&C Construction for all the support and access they have granted me.

I especially want to thank all the Ironworkers, Carpenters, Laborers and Equipment Operators for their cooperation and understanding as I went about documenting their day to day activities. These guys have become friends that I hope to stay in contact with for years to come. Without their skill and expertise the Big Four Bridge conversion could not exist; their dedication to craftsmanship and love for the bridge are evident in every detail. They never cut corners or took an attitude that something was “good enough” instead they took the approach that “perfection equals pride in a job well done” which shows everywhere one looks. Everyone who sees and uses this bridge owes them a debt of gratitude.

The Waterfront Development Corporation has restored Louisville’s Commons and given our city a park that celebrates our roots as a river city. Their vision and leadership will be enjoyed by the people of Louisville and her visitors for generations to come and exemplifies the title “The City of Possibility”. Waterfront Park gives the entire community a gathering place far greater than any of us who have lived here our entire adult lives ever dreamed possible.

Big Four Bridge at Sunrise

Morning sunrise on the Big Four Bridge jobsite. — Start of the Workday

Big Four Bridge at Waterfront Park, Louisville, Kentucky

The image above is the one that was seen by the Waterfront Development Corporation and landed me on the bridge. I was subsequently allowed to shoot this final phase of the conversion from abandoned railroad bridge to a pedestrian bridge between Kentucky and Indiana.

Speeddemon2 Photography

Fine Art Photography