Swinging Bridge
Aug, 2013Views
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Behind The Lens
Location
I found this suspension bridge about a half hour into the long hike out to Mystic Beach on the west side of Vancouver Island in British Columbia, Canada. Mystic beach is one of several gorgeous beaches on the west side of the island so we wanted to get some good sunrise photos. Unfortunately, the beach was fogged in that morning so I found better photo opportunities on the long hike to and from the beach than I did when we were there. It was an over night trip with a 4am start just to get a sunrise that never happened. We loved the trip so it wasn't a waste of time and this photo has become the third most popular picture in my Viewbug gallery.Time
We had camped out over night near the Mystic Beach trail so we could get an early start. The plan was to be on the beach by sunrise and the trail down to the beach is nearly a one hour hike. I shot this on the way back about 9 am and the sun happened to be hitting at the right time. This was an unplanned shot so I was lucky to get it when I did.Lighting
I had crossed this bridge before sunrise and it is mostly buried in the trees. I liked the perspective but it was just too dark. On the way back I almost forgot to take a photo of the suspension bridge. I actually walked down the trail and around the corner. Then I remembered to turn around. It was a pleasant surprise to see the sun hitting it like it did. I'm not a huge fan of HDR so I exposed for the sunlight knowing I can lighten the dark areas in post production.Equipment
I'm just a hobbyist so I have been shooting on the same Nikon D80 for about 12 years now. I shot this without a tripod or flash. The natural lighting was perfect so I didn't need anything else.Inspiration
I liked the perspective and leading lines of this bridge. The lighting was just an added bonus when I finally got back to this bridge. It all came together really nicely. It was one of those lucky moments that just happen to come along. It was unplanned but all my planned shots hadn't worked out that day so I'm glad I got something to bring back with me.Editing
The photo has had very little post-processing. The only thing I did was adjust the levels to bring up the values of the darker areas. I set the exposure to take in the sunlight because I didn't want the lighter areas to be blown out. I knew the areas in the tress would have to be lightened in post production.In my camera bag
I carry a Lowepro backpack that holds my Nikon D80, three lenses, two flashes, a few filters, a tripod and some cleaning gear. Lenses include; 70-300mm, 18-55mm, and 50mm fixed lens. (all Nikkor lenses) My filters include ND, polarized and some magnifiers for a macro effect in a pinch. That's about it. I don't carry much. I would like to add another flash, a true macro lens and a wide angle at some point but I'm pretty happy with what I have.Feedback
This was a great lesson in how to 'go with the flow'. I had put a lot of effort and planning into an overnight trip to get some sunrise photos on one of the most beautiful beaches in the world. All my plans were thwarted by unexpected fog. So instead of going home with an empty flash card I looked for as many opportunities as I could to capture a great photo. I didn't get what I came for but plenty of other great photos presented themselves when kept an open mind and open eye. Just be ready when your plans go awry.
