6th Street Bridge over the Grand River. Non-digitally manipulated.

Very nice,would have like to see the right end of the brigde,other than that spot on.

A beautiful picture except for that flare at the end of the bridge on the right hand side.

 

Like in the POW, you seem to have a problem framing your images on the right side as the end of the bridge is missing.

 

Would you by any chance be using a prism on your camera?

 

Great job with the water.

 

Bruno

 

I have no idea how this image relates to the POW image, and no matter how I frame that POW image somebody doesn't like it even though unlike this one the POW Foxglove image is full frame. To answer Bruno's question, I don't use a prism and don't think it would change my shooting style a bit. I can barely see night objects in my RB finder as it is and am nearly shooting blind, so the added light loss of a prism would require night goggles for this kind of work.

Unlike the POW image in question I was severely limited to the way I could frame this image. It seems to be assumed that I'm shooting from the middle of the river when in fact I'm shooting from the side. However, my main goal is to give the illusion that I'm shooting the bridge straight on while trying to avoid parralax and other problems that could only be fixed with a view camera. There is all kinds of mess on the right side shore that can't be avoided unless I hire bulldozers or use Photoshop to clone it out. I also try to position myself in a way to block flare with obstructions, but aside from using a sniper rifle to shoot street lights out flare can't be helped. If anything, flare adds a nice feel to night shots, but I do agree it's not in a very good spot in this comp. Again, you can't see flare in a MF viewfinder, and it's tough to predict until you see the final image.

This image was scanned from an 8x10 master print I made that was slightly cropped and tilted to balance the bridge as perfecly and symetrical in the frame as possible. Even the slightest hair of parallax causes the comp to fall apart and look cheap, so the slight crop on the right is the lesser of two evils. Closer shots made with a 90mm and show both sides of the bridge lack the feel of this one. A longer lens would have helped by allowing me to move down the shore away from the bridge, but unless somebody sends me a free 300mm RB67 lens I'll have to stick to my 180mm.

The final prints on 20x24 Fujiflex luckily printed down the flare on the right side (without burning) quite sunstantially to the point it's barely obvious. Somebody described one as looking like "liquid copper" and almost "holographic", so I guess I'm on the right track.

The water was a pain. Pefectly windless evenings result in mirror like specular highlights while too much surface agitation results in a big blur. I choose a night with light winds and combined a couple of exposures with both the still and light wind to get the water how I wanted it. A few local pros tried this same shot with 35mm and a 4x5, yet they can't figure out how I got the water to "glow" like that and have accused me of using Photoshop.

Scott, I really like this image - it's imperfectly perfect. You list Kodak film, but mention Ilford XP2 - is it Ilford? And by "painting" I assume you held the card in front of the lens until conditions were right? I'm taking notes, because you seem to have this technique down. Congrats. >>Peter Saucerman

Near perfect composition of the subject from your given vantage. Is the bridge level? Maybe my sense of balance has been thrown off by the last light on the right. If so, jsut ignore the negative part of this comment.

Hey Scott, Good work. I love the sepia tones and can appreciate the effort put into "painting' the image. Whether it is K /T400CN or Ilford XP2 doesn't mater, they're both great films that yield fine grain and great prints in sepia tone. I am only wondering where the Grand River is located. The only one that I am familiar with is in Ohio. Brad

Sorry guys, the picture of a bridge, not particularly well composed, as already noticed above, taken at night. So what??? Are the reflections from the 4 star-like lamps on the water amazing??? NO.

I've noticed that Igor lacks a portfolio, or any uploaded images.

 

I prefer negative remarks from other *real* photographers please.

I've never before seen such beautiful smooth change in tones as in the bottom 1/3 of this photo.

 

The depth created by the detail in the area around the bottom of the bridge is visually stunning.

 

Best Regards and Merry Christmas from a West sider!