Project 52 by Frank Miller

[Donald]

... I haven’t as yet learned the technique well enough to control the width of the rainbow, ...

Perhaps, but what you have done is expertly done. Yet again, something of a masterclass in creatively and sensitively applying the technology to available to us to create a final image from a basic starting point.

Thank you, Frank. You continue to educate and inform us.

[oldgreygary]

Agree with the other comments Frank, thats really nicely done, subtle and very effective.

Cheers for now

Gary

[FrankMi]

Many thanks for the kind thoughts, Donald and Gary. I've learned so much from CiC and its members so if I can share something I've learned with the group, so much the better.

[Goldcoastgolfer]

I'm looking forward to you writing a book on PP one day Frank Nice work!

[FrankMi]

I'm looking forward to you writing a book on PP one day Frank Nice work!

Thank you Malcolm! I always look forward to your comments as they are encouraging and uplifting and some days I just need a hug! Thanks again!

[FrankMi]

This weeks goal is to photograph water so that it looks it did when I sat and watched it flow.

What does then mean? I'm not sure I can put it into words but I feel it incorporates some of the following attributes:

The surface of the water should have an kind of iridescent glisten that imparts the feeling of movement without being either blurred or frozen in time.

The reflections in the ripples should be sharp and clear but impart a feeling of movement.

The bubbles on the water surface should look like they are effervescent and would pop at any second.

We should be able to clearly to the bottom through the surface where the water is shallow enough.

In short, the water should look if you reached out to touch it that you'd get wet!


I don't think I have achieved the goals but perhaps it looks just a bit more lively than the typical image of flowing water.

[Donald]

I wonder if you've already developed the technique to do that perfectly?

You will remember your experiment in and exploration of (from which I learned), blending two images to keep part of the flow sharp and part slightly blurred - Your very first post on page 1 of this thread.

As you said at the time, the technique still needed refined. I took what you taught and made a couple of images in which I very gently with a low opacity soft brush, blended in some bits of the version taken with the slower shutter speed into the version taken with the fast shutter speed.

People who have viewed these images consistently refer to how the water looks so 'real'; i.e. what I think you are referring to above.

(Here is my thread, which includes a link to your original 1st post in this thread)

So, I know you're trying to reach the end via different route here, but you did develop a wonderful technique, which I have certainly locked into the memory bank, that may provide some of the answers that you are looking for.

[FrankMi]

Thank you Donald. As I suspected, it will take a whole lot more work to get to the plateau I am striving for.

"Experience is something you get when you don't get what you wanted!"

Back to the drawing boards!

[FrankMi]

My goal for this week was to come up with a picture!

This is nothing special. No fancy shooting or post processing techniques, just I picture I took of one of the few operational aqueducts that can carry barge traffic over a river as part of the Erie Canal. Actually, this part of the Erie canal is no longer used for commercial traffic but is rather a restored tourist attraction.

The top section between the two sets of arches that holds the water for the canal is actually made of wood!

History:

The Nine-Mile Creek Aqueduct, completed in 1841, carried the enlarged Erie Canal over the Nine-Mile Creek for 76 years. The aqueduct, which is on the National Registry of Historic Sites, is the only restored (2009) navigable Aqueduct in New York State, and possible in the entire US.

For more information and pictures of the restoration work, please see this link:

http://www.eriecanal.org/9MileCreek.html



Do they have canal river crossing aqueducts like this in Europe?

[Geoff F]

Good sharpness and exposure, Frank.

The only things I wonder about is a slight crop of the right side to remove that part of a tree, and tidy up those whispy branches on the left.

Not sure about a crop as it would mean a different size ratio. Or possibly, because the main tree doesn't have it's top a slightly tighter crop at the current ratio might be worth considering.

You would lose a bit of water but I think that may concentrate the view more upon the bridge. But I'm just holding card against my screen.

Canals have been around in Europe for a few years, and with quite a few aqueducts plus other devices in the UK. But all a bit further north of where I live. Including some really high versions; also lifts for transporting boats between canals on different levels, etc.

From what I remember of European history, I think the Romans had a few attempts at aqueducts a few years ago.

[Donald]

Wonderful clarity. The light has been used to best advantage.

I note Geoff's comment re the crop. But, the problem that I see is if you crop those near branches just to the right of them, you cut in half the tree behind on the other side of the roadway and I think that looks worse than the branches that are creeping in on the right.

[FrankMi]

Thank you Geoff and Donald. This was a difficult image to capture as there simply wasn't a good place to shoot from than made it obvious that this was an aqueduct. As it was, I was perched part way up a metal fence trying to keep my balance and get the river water on both sides of the aqueduct in the image. I couldn't move any further foward, back, left, right, or up any higher and I was as wide as I could go (24mm FFE).

In retrospect, I wish I had thought to grab a second shot to the left and make a pano of it.

I've tried, but wasn't satisfied with any of the cropping options I played with as I felt that each lost an important part of the story so I think I'll live with the stray brances for now.

[Wendy Stanford]

Lovely contrast and colour Frank, all nicely in focus, I like the composition, the detail of the stonework is very clear,
nice DOF, I find that the branches on the right aren't distracting as you are looking straight down the line on the aquaduct,

[Dave Humphries]

Do they have canal river crossing aqueducts like this in Europe?

Hi Frank,

Here's a helpful list of UK canal aqueducts
As you'll see, I don't think even one has an image to equal yours for showing both canal and river water, so well done.

What looks odd to me in the above picture is the sunlit algae on the right and the way it suddenly ends where in shadow.

I like the angle of the bridge parapet, but I can see you were really stuck for the height here to get the delineation of the far wall and river beyond.

Perhaps a P&S held aloft on a monopod and the picture taken with the self timer?

I agree with Geoff about tidying away the odd branches and half tree on right, but with cloning if possible, not cropping.

Cheers,

[FrankMi]

Lovely contrast and colour Frank, all nicely in focus, I like the composition, the detail of the stonework is very clear,
nice DOF, I find that the branches on the right aren't distracting as you are looking straight down the line on the aquaduct,

Thanks Wendy. It looks like that tree on the right is a distraction for some folks. I might try cloning to see what I can get.

[FrankMi]

What looks odd to me in the above picture is the sunlit algae on the right and the way it suddenly ends where in shadow.

Perhaps a P&S held aloft on a monopod and the picture taken with the self timer?

I agree with Geoff about tidying away the odd branches and half tree on right, but with cloning if possible, not cropping.

Thanks Dave! The images of the UK canal aqueducts are quite fascinating. I'm not sure why the algae in the river look that way. Perhaps it is because of the reflection of the sky in the shadow?

If I go back, I might try a monopod and a cable release. Not too sure about maintaining my balance on the rail while doing that though! I had all I could do to keep from falling as it was!

What really surprised me was that nobody commented on the lens flair under the first two arches!

OK. I got past my lazy streak and removed the flair and trimmed the trees. Any better?

[Letrow]

Lovely sunshine and colours Frank. The only distraction I have is that my sight is drawn to the cars. Lovely green in that river.

[FrankMi]

Lovely sunshine and colours Frank. The only distraction I have is that my sight is drawn to the cars. Lovely green in that river.

I wish my eyesight was as good as yours!

[Dave Humphries]

If I go back, I might try a monopod and a cable release. Not too sure about maintaining my balance on the rail while doing that though! I had all I could do to keep from falling as it was!

That's why I suggested a P&S on it, not a heavy DSLR
But I guess your SX40is is a bit bigger than my S100

Do you think the air ambulance would hover while you got a few shots off when leaving the area?

What really surprised me was that nobody commented on the lens flair under the first two arches!

OK. I got past my lazy streak and removed the flair and trimmed the trees. Any better?

Yes!

I never saw the lens flare, nor the cars, until Peter said - must be going blind.

Thinking your 840mm (FFE) on SX40is would be good for distant, tiny birds, might have to get one of those too!

Cheers,

[FrankMi]

Thinking your 840mm (FFE) on SX40is would be good for distant, tiny birds, might have to get one of those too!

I have been just tickled to death with the results I've been able to get with the Canon SX40HS! It's not perfect by any means but then no one camera can be everything - but for shooting long range subjects the IS is nothing short of fantastic and it has excellent low light sensitivity. Come to think of it, I don't believe I've had this camera mounted on my tripod yet! I usually fall back to this camera when I have to travel light or need to reach well past the 450mm (FFE) of my DSLR. I've even started using the Optech Dual Harness and carrying both this and the Nikon for serious photography outings.