Forth Bridge #5

[Donald]

Don't worry about the numbering, they're not coming in chronological order.

In response to Forth Bridge #3, there were a couple of suggestions that maybe I'd pushed just a bit too far on the structure/sharpening, particularly on the blockwork that makes up the pillars of the bridge.

This image, which was captured during the same shoot as that other one, was about getting in much closer to the piers and to the steelwork. The idea was to try and focus in on the construction, rather than the overall impact of showing the whole bridge.

I'm interested to hear any views about the image of course, but also about how you think I've dealt the with blockwork of the piers and the steelwork of the superstructure of the bridge itself.

The other goal of the image was to contrast this late 19th century feat of engineering with the more modern (1960s) style of the road bridge.

By the way, if anyone is interested in reading about the Forth Bridge, Wikipedia actually has quite a good page, here. The page features a couple of pretty good panoramas that give you an idea of the wider setting.

Again, using Silver Efex Pro 2, I reduced contrast, upped soft contrast and raised the 'fine structure' on the piers. There was capture sharpening at Raw processing stage and output sharpening when I resized, in the GIMP, for posting on here. There was no content sharpening.


Canon 40D, EF 24-70 f2.8 L @ 68mm. ISO100. 2s@f22. Singh Ray Vari ND

[Geoff F]

Plenty of clarity there, Donald, able to count the bricks.

And a good camera angle.

The only slight suggestion would be about, if possible, pulling back just a fraction to show very slightly more water below the piers.

[Donald]

Plenty of clarity there, Donald, able to count the bricks.

What is mind-boggling about is that when you stand beside the piers (there is one right at the road side when you go under the bridge and you can get down to the others at low tide), is that each of these blocks is huge. Not quite on the scale of the blocks in the pyramids at Giza, but still pretty substantial.

The feat of engineering in getting each of them into place really defies modern-day thinking. I suppose that part of what I was trying to do here was acknowledge and celebrate not so much the brilliance of the engineers, but the graft of the working men who built it.

[Geoff F]

And the foundations would have been constructed inside wooden coffer dams! That does sound frightening - without any Health and Safety Regulations either.

[enaiman]

Very nice picture Donald, crystal clear and the BW really makes it stand out.

However, the fact that is leaning a bit to the right does bother me. I have noticed it on the background bridge's pillar and checked it twice because I was sure you did straighten it.
I think you have used the front pillar's base above the water as reference for levelling because that is level in the image but the water level and the verticals tell otherwise.
I do apologize if it was intended.

[Mike Buckley]

This image really proves to me that I'll probably never come around to liking the previous one nearly as much as most of the stuff that comes from your camera. That's because this one is simply stupendous. The juxtaposition of the two bridges and the up-close contrast of the strong rectilinear shapes with the curvilinear shapes is wonderful. I even like the vignette, which normally isn't my cup of tea in this type of image.

I don't get the sense of over sharpening, clarity or whatever that I got in the previous one.

[jeeperman]

Fantastic Donald, your conversions verge on if not exceed mastery. I always look forward to the next.

[Steve S]

Beautifully done, donald, but the strong vignette doesn't work for me. There are ways to make a vignette which will focus your eyes, and not be so obvious.

Circle the area you want to focus on, with the lasso tool.
Click on the quick mask(the area outside the spot you circled will turn red)
Click ctrl I to invert the mask (now it will be inside the area you circled. Which can be any shape you want by the way)
Gaussian blur set to about 85 + or -
Layer---layer mask ---reveal selection (This will make a mask of the selection. If it isn't right, just invert it)
Set blend mode to multiply for a dark vignette and screen for a light vignette
Adjust opacity to liking. Usually between 10 and 30 will make an impact, and not be noticable.

[PhotoRob]

Real, real nice Donald...

[Bobobird]

Frankly? I like the big picture better.

[Donald]

As I wrote recently about one of my other images recently when there were contrasting views expressed, I think it's great when a bit of work stimulates things like:

...... I'll probably never come around to liking the previous one nearly as much ............... That's because this one is simply stupendous.

Frankly? I like the big picture better.

For me, it says so much that is positive about this forum and the people on it that we get these opposite views and opinions. It means peopel are thinking and considerign and are able to express thsoe views in constructive ways. Wonderful.

.... but the strong vignette doesn't work for me. There are ways to make a vignette which will focus your eyes, and not be so obvious.

In the normal run of things, I'd agree with Steve's comments. My normal aim with any vignette I put on is that it would not be at all obvious to the viewer. To a large extent I think I am usually successful with that; e.g. Forth Bridge #3, to which there is a hyperlink above.

But I felt this one merited that different approach.

I do any vignetting with Silver Efex Pro 2, which makes the process very much easier than in soem other packes. It is just a case of operating sliders - Amount, Size, Circle/Square, Transition.

I have become increasingly interested in and fascinated by, the work of Josef Hoflehner. He uses heavy vignetting in a lot of his work - in my view very successfully.