This article describes the process I used to create HDR photographs of a night time concrete pour for the Ohio River Bridges Project Downtown Span Tower base.
Tag: bridges
I-65 Southbound Section Was Nearing Completion
Click on the image to enlarge it in a separate window.
During the last days of construction of Phase One, Section One, of the I-65 Southbound Section, on the Ohio River Bridges Project the activity was fast and furious. There were areas that needed to be paved and concrete forms that needed building in order to stay on schedule and have it open for traffic by Sunday night.
In some of the following photos of the I-65 Southbound Section you will see areas that were almost completed and had the yellow and white traffic lane lines in place. In others the people were hard at work putting the finishing touches on their work.
Everyone was working long hours on the I-65 Southbound Section as the schedule was for 24 hours a day so the crews were constantly moving. In this group of photos you can see the amount of progress that was made in a single day. I was there early in the morning to catch the first light of day and returned in early evening to capture the progress and take advantage of the sunset light in the sky and clouds.
All the images in this post are HDR images from three frame bracket sets of +2, 0 and -2 EV exposures that were then merged in NIK HDR Efex Pro 2 and finished with Aperture 3. Using HDR techniques allows me to capture the broad dynamic range that exists at these times of day and to then use the tone mapping tools to reveal details in the shadows while also capturing the vibrance in the clouds and sky.
Click on the image to enlarge it in a separate window.
Click on the image to enlarge it in a separate window.
Click on the image to enlarge it in a separate window.
Click on the image to enlarge it in a separate window.
Click on the image to enlarge it in a separate window.
Ironworkers in Black and White
Click on the image to enlarge it in a separate window.
I decided to try some black and white images of Ironworkers today. The image above is from The Ohio River Bridges Project. Nothing fancy just used Aperture 3 for conversion to black and white of a HDR image that I had done in the past.
Click on the image to enlarge it in a separate window.
Jack Alpha is an Ironworker with T&C Construction who was working on top of the Big Four Bridge when I shot this image. I converted it to black and white in Aperture 3 using a single frame. This isn’t HDR but I still think it is full of detail.
Sunset on the Ohio River Bridges
Click on the image to enlarge it in a separate window
Last night I decided to head down to the waterfront and shoot the Ohio River Bridges at sunset. The weather had been perfect all day and the forecast looked like there would be some clouds in the western sky around sunset. When I arrived at around 8:00 PM the sky was hazy and the clouds were still off to the west. I shot for a few minutes from Waterfront Park and then headed up onto the Big Four Bridge to watch the sun dip below the horizon.
Just before sunset the clouds moved in under the sun and I was able to capture the image above. By positioning myself on the Kentucky end of the Big Four Bridge I was able to frame the shot with the sun behind the tower crane for the Ohio River Bridges Project. I liked the way it was still above the Kennedy Bridge and the clouds created a beautiful orange glow across everything.
I shot with a tripod and captured a three frame bracket set of +2, 0 and -2 EV exposures. I processed the three frames into a single HDR image using NIK HDR Efex Pro 2 and applied the Balanced preset. I then returned the merged file to Aperture 3 where I adjusted it like I would normally. I boosted detail, added some contrast, adjusted color channels and sharpened it before cropping it to a wider format and adding a small vignette.
Click on the image to enlarge it in a separate window
I was quite taken with the beauty of the colors in the sky and decided to shoot the Big Four Bridge while it was illuminated by the setting sun. The color of the light and the way it enhanced the rusted bridge really drew my eye. I also liked the way the sky and river transitioned from orange to blue and worked to strengthen that complimentary color scheme during processing.
I used the same techniques for this image as I did on the previous one which really saturated the colors and brought out the detail of the rusted ironwork and the reflections in the water.
Journeymen and Apprentices
Click on the image to enlarge it in a separate window.
One of the wonderful things about photographing construction work is seeing Journeyman of the many Skilled Trades that are teaching Apprentices the skills they need to be qualified trades people. The history of the Skilled Trades is filled with the accumulated knowledge that generations of earlier tradespeople have shared with their Apprentices. By sharing their experience with an Apprentice a Journeyman provides continuity and pride in the ability to master a trade.
Click on the image to enlarge it in a separate window.
An Apprentice faces unknown tasks that, unless they have been properly trained, could result in an inferior result. The Journeyman doesn’t do the task but instead instructs and verifies that the Apprentice learns the proper tools and procedures to follow when they have earned their own Journeyman’s card. In time today’s Apprentice becomes experienced enough to qualify for a Journeyman’s Card and completes the cycle by taking an Apprentice of their own to mentor and share the skills of the trade with.
Click on the image to enlarge it in a separate window.
Watching this young woman learn the proper way to complete the task of installing bridge decking is one of the great things being a construction photographer. Photographing them working together allowed me to see the way skilled Journeymen can make a difference in someone else’s life. As they joked and kidded one another they also were developing a bond that will last a lifetime for both of them. The Apprentice learned how to secure decking in a way that insured that it was properly installed and the Journeyman had to feel a sense of pride in sharing his skills with her.
Click on the image to enlarge it in a separate window.
As with the Ironworker’s trade the Carpenter’s Union also trains new Carpenters through the Apprenticeship model. The process is the same though; a Journeyman Carpenter trains and instructs the Apprentice in the skills he or she will need to earn their own Journeyman’s card and join the ranks of Journeyman Carpenters going back generations in time.
All four of the images in this post are three frame bracket sets of +2, 0 and -2 EV exposures that have been merged in NIK HDR Efex Pro 2 software and finished with Aperture 3.All required strong anti-ghosting application due to the movement of the men and women as they went about their tasks. The anti-ghosting feature in NIK HDR EFex Pro 2 is by far the best I have used and remains the main reason I prefer it to any of the other HDR apps on the market today.
