Tag: Morning

Last Moments Alone on the Bridge

Posted on February 10, 2013 by Nick Roberts

Last Morning Alone With the Big Four Bridge

Click an image to open it enlarged in another window.

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.

Click on the image to open it in another window.

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

Click any image to open it enlarged in another window.

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.

A New Year Begins

Posted on January 1, 2013 by Nick Roberts

Click on the image to open it in another window and view it full size.

I thought it would be appropriate to begin 2013 with an image of dawn. I see the new year as one of opportunity and possibility, peace and contentment, exploration and discovery and most of all excitement. None of us know what the future has in store but as long as we face it head on we can weather any storm and gain new skills and knowledge.

To all of you who read this blog I hope to give you my very best at sharing my vision of our world as it appears through my lens. I will share my attempts at being a better photographer and artist. I hope to learn more and share more about photography, HDR photography in particular, and the steps I take in crafting my images.

Whether you are new here or you have been following me since I began this blog last May I hope you will visit on a regular basis and that you will engage in commenting on the work I share. I think that critiques are the path to greater understanding and growth in the arts and the comments of all are welcomed.

May this year be the best of our lives and lead us forward into learning ever more about our passion for photography and art.

Happy New Year to you all!

Ohio River Morning

Posted on November 22, 2012 by Nick Roberts

Click on the image to open it at a larger size in another window.

This panorama was taken from the Big Four Bridge looking upriver; the river seems so calm and sleepy in the early morning hours. I really liked the way the sky was reflected in the river that morning and the minimalist feel that it imparted.

I processed this image in NIK HDR Efex Pro 2 using the Deep 2 preset as my start point.

Not much more to add except that I hope all my readers here in the US have a great Thanksgiving holiday. I’ve baked three pumpkin pies and a sweet potato casserole as my contribution to our family’s Thanksgiving dinner. Now all I need to do is deliver them and then sit back and enjoy our family’s company.

Speeddemon2 Photography

Fine Art Photography