Old Bridge C&C please

[ScoutR]

I pass this old bridge quite often and have wanted to stop for a shot. Safe parking is difficult though so I've never gotten around to it. This particular evening the sun was lighting up the bridge very nicely so I found a place to stop and got a few shots. I really wasn't happy with any of them, but this one kept catching my eye and I thought it might not be too bad. What do you think? Is it oversharpened? Any other suggestions are welcome.
I'm glad I stopped because I'm not sure how long the bridge is going to last and there are not many more like it left around here. I'm thinking I might be best trying again in the morning with the light hitting it from the front. I think I can get a better angle then too. I couldn't spend too much time walking around for this one as the light was fading quickly.



Wendy

[tbob]

Great subject and as you implied; a lot of potential. Can you park on the old road? far away enough to be out of the frame?

For this image I might try darkening the highlights on the concrete. Otherwise it looks good. I think black and white is a good choice.

It begs to be be shot from multiple angles and with varying lenses. The leafless trees in the background are a good background. I suspect anytime of the year will work however depending on the light angle. I hope to see more of this bridge in the next year.

[Donald]

We can indeed see that the bridge maybe doesn't have many years left in it.

My only suggestion for your consideration in terms of possible improvement, is to crop so that the far background at the top in the right hand half of the frame, is taken out. I feel that throws more attention onto the bridge.

You obviously know how the sun travels and where it will be when, but I like this very much. It certainly feels like a very photogenic bridge and if you can spend time there looking at shots from different locations, I'm sure it will pay dividends. But this, I think, is a very good one. It's tells us a story.

Edit - Sorry meant to add: That tree on the other side of the bridge is gorgeous.

[Mike Buckley]

Definitely not over sharpened. I like everything about it. You could use more contrast to make a different but not necessarily better look.

Amen to Trevor's suggestion to shoot the bridge in different light, different times of the year, different angles and with different focal lengths.

[Steve S]

I see this bridge with the morning light coming from the right and a nice blanket of snow on the ground.

[Geoff F]

I would definitely crop the top, as Donald suggested, to remove distraction.

Going to a different size ratio may tend to make the bridge appear longer, although there is sufficient space to crop from the right side if you wish to retain the current ratio.

Otherwise, it looks fine to me.

[Mike Buckley]

That tree on the other side of the bridge is gorgeous.

That's exactly why I'd hate to see the top part of the image cropped; doing so would remove the height of the tree and its branches acting as leading lines directed toward the bridge. If the top right area is distracting (it isn't to me), it could be darkened.

[ScoutR]

Thanks everyone. All the feedback is very helpful.

Trevor, I think I will make it a project to go back different times of the year. It does seem like a nice area. Usually I am driving by on the main (narrow shouldered road) but there are some farms quite close by and I will try to get permission to park and then go on a bit of a hike. I might even take the tripod, I think I'm ready to start using it.

Donald, that light part top right bothered me also. I have already cropped some of it and was hoping that what was left wasn't too distracting as I liked the format when I got to this point. I think I will try darkening it a bit and see if that helps. I'm glad you added the edit about the tree, that is the part I was worried about oversharpening. It is a great old tree isn't it. I think it deserves some seasonal shots.

Mike, Thanks for the sharpening critique. I've been really nervous about sharpening ever since I changed cameras and updated to LR 4 last summer. It seems I can sharpen a lot more with this camera but it looks foreign or a bit crispy to me because it's not something I was able to do before. I also worry about the LR sharpening. I did not use the sharpening feature at all with LR 3. LR 4 seems to do a pretty good job, but like I say I always worry that I've gone too far.

Steve, I'll try to get that shot for you, if the roads are good enough for me to get out there after a nice snowfall, I'll make the trip.

Thanks again everyone. I really wasn't sure about this one. It's not exactly the shot that I wanted, but I just didn't have time to move around. Somehow or other if I can get the right angle and light, I'd like to get more of the road in the shot. Watch this space, I'll post more when I get them.

Wendy