USS INAUGURAL
World War II Minesweeper,which was a tourist attraction in St. Louis near the arch, broke from it's moorings in the flood of 1993. It was exposed due to the low...
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World War II Minesweeper,which was a tourist attraction in St. Louis near the arch, broke from it's moorings in the flood of 1993. It was exposed due to the low water levels of the Mississippi in 2012
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May, 2015Views
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Staff Winter Selection 2015
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Behind The Lens
Location
This photo was taken on the banks of the Mississippi River in St. Louis, Missouri. There was a severe drought that year and the low levels of the Mississippi exposed this boat. The boat is the USS Inaugural, which was the most succesful mine sweeper in WWII. It was moored in St. Louis and was near the Arch. It was there for sightseers to tour it. During the Flood of '93, it broke away from it's moorings, floated a bit down river and sunk.Time
This photo was taken December 14, 2012 at 4:15 pm As you can see in the photo it was overcast and late fall almost winter. Cold and dreary that day.Lighting
It was a cloud cast day and near sunset which is one of my favorite times to shoot. Natural lighting was the only source of light used in this picture.Equipment
I used a Canon 5D Mark III with an EF24-70mm F/2.8L USM Canon Lens at 38mm 320 ISO. I also used a Really Right Stuff Tripod.Inspiration
When in St. Louis, it is not often you get the opportunity to photograph a sunken warship. When I saw a photo that a fellow photographer posted online about this boat I had to shoot it...Editing
I shot 3 exposures 2 stops apart for blending in Photomatix HDR software. After working on the blended HDR image in photoshop I converted to Black and White using NIK Silver Efex PRO.In my camera bag
Currently I have been shooting with a mirrorless Sony A7RII and a Sony FE 24-240 lens which is a great travel lens especially when wanting to travel light. I also use a Benro GA369T Tripod. I have recently converted to this system which is much lighter and more convenient for me to travel and hike with. So far I am very happy with it and plan to add more lenses to my arsenal.Feedback
I had to climb down a very steep embankment that was covered in sharp rocks and concrete. When shooting something like this remember to pack your equipment into a backpack so you can keep both hands free for the decent and the climb. Also wear gloves and hiking boots. Bring enough lens power to shoot wide angle up to telephoto... It's alway nice to have options. I always try to shoot most outdoor subjects under cloud cover which helps give a mood and a texture in the sky and softens the light.
