Tag: texture

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.

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.

Macro on the Mountain

Posted on February 2, 2013 by Nick Roberts

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While hiking in Pine Mountain State Park I was intrigued with the plant life that was on the trees. I assume these green guys are a moss since they were primarily on the north side of the trees. This image was taken using my 60mm Nikkor macro lens and processed in Aperture 3.

Another shot of the moss from a little closer. This image was also processed in Aperture 3.

I was also fascinated by the various lichen that accompanied the moss. The patterns and textures are so intricate. As with the previous images I used Aperture 3 for processing.

The more I studied these mosses the more intrigued I became.

These lichen remind me of coral reefs floating above canyons in the sea. The forms and colors are amazing and seem as endless as the ocean depths.

These lichen are everywhere in the forest at Pine Mountain. These were on a branch I found lying on the ground but they were everywhere on the trees and on the forest floor as well. The texture and delicate structure is something that really draws my eye to them.

I’m not sure that I have properly identified any of these organisms and welcome any input that people want to share with me about what they are.

Nearly Wordless Wednesday

Posted on January 30, 2013 by Nick Roberts

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Single frame image taken today. My Pine Mountain preset applied in NIK HDR Efex Pro 2 then sharpened in Aperture 3.

More HDR Exploration

Posted on January 29, 2013 by Nick Roberts

This image was created using 5 exposures +2,+1,0,-1,-2, EV

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Today I am going to share several versions of one image to further illustrate the HDR process. In the image above I combined 5 exposures using NIK HDR Efex PRO 2. I then started with one of the realistic presets in NIK HDR Efex PRO 2 which I adjusted to my vision for the image. After getting it where I wanted it I created a custom preset that recorded all the adjustments I made to the image. I named the custom preset Pine Mountain #2 and saved it in the custom preset panel in NIK HDR Efex PRO 2 so that I could use it with any image I chose. I then started applying it to some of the single frames from this scene.

I’ll start with this frame which is the -1 EV underexposed frame. As you can see it is very dark and lacks detail in the shadows.

Below is the same image with the Pine Mountain #2 preset applied. It opened up the shadows and brought out a greater color range as well as some shadow detail.

-1 EV after applying Pine Mountain #2 preset

I followed the same process for the 0 EV exposure below. This exposure has better shadow detail than the underexposed frame but it is beginning to show some blown highlights in the upper area, notably the small amount of sky and the mountain laurel leaves.

Once again I applied the Pine Mountain #2 preset I had created earlier to this single frame which produced the image below. There is now more detail in the shadows, the colors are richer but the sky is starting to gray slightly.

0 EV after applying Pine Mountain 2 preset

Lastly I used the overexposed image with the +1 EV and followed the same procedure with it. Once again the highlights are blown in the sky and on the leaves as well as on the rocks themselves.

This is the overexposed image after applying the Pine Mountain #2 preset.

+1 EV exposure after applying Pine Mountain #2 preset

Once again there is marked improvement both in the highlights and in the shadows but it still isn’t as rich as the first image in this post that was created by merging multiple exposures in NIK HDR Efex PRO 2.

My conclusion from this experiment is that; while there is increased detail in the shadows, better highlights and increased tonal range available when using NIK HDR Efex PRO 2 on a single image; the use of multiple exposures produces a richer more detailed image. I stand corrected regarding my earlier post about the differences in single vs multiple image HDR processing and the results that are attainable.

I hope this helps my readers and that they benefit from my exploration and experimentation with the NIK HDR Efex PRO 2 software. I feel certain that these results are repeatable regardless of which software is used be it Photoshop, NIK, Photomatix or any of the myriad of other HDR programs out there.

Speeddemon2 Photography

Fine Art Photography