Ash Grove Bridge
Aug, 2015Views
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Awards
Top Shot Award 22
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Contest Finalist in High Contrast In Black and White Photo Contest
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Behind The Lens
Location
I took this photo near Helena, MT at a small park outside of town. The park is hidden on the other side of a creek by trees and brush, and you have to cross the bridge to get to it.Time
This photo was taken in the evening before the golden hour.Lighting
Being before the golden hour and with others, lighting wasn't something I was looking into very much at the time. Ideally I would have waited for the perfect light to come along, but was not in the position at the time to do so. Luckily the area was shaded by multiple trees and brush, so the light of day didn't effect it at all. Also when planning a black and white photograph, you can be a little more relaxed on the time of day.Equipment
I took this shot with IPhone, because that was all I had on me at the time.Inspiration
We were exploring some natural areas outside of town when we found this park. As I walked down towards the park I couldn't help but stop and admire this bridge. It had such a welcoming ruggedness about it that I became a little obsessed with it at the time. In my mind I could see the perfect black in white picture, and that is exactly what I was aiming for. So I whipped out my phone and started shooting the bridge from different angles. This one was my favorite.Editing
I uploaded the picture to my Corel paint shop and placed a black and white effect on it. I then played around with the brightness and contrast to bring out the tonality more.In my camera bag
Typically when I have plans to take pictures, I carry my Nikon D3200, A simple tripod that I purchased years ago, Nikkor 18-55mm and 55-200mm VR DX Zoom Lenses. Multiple filters, including a circular polarizer and an ND filter. Macro lenses for the closeups. 2 extra batteries. Small microfiber cloth and and lens cleaning pen. I always have my IPhone with me also. I've had times that I couldn't get my camera ready in time for a picture and my phone worked well to compensate for my lack of preparedness. The quality of the photos from my IPhone have never disappointed me, whether it be for memories or for capturing landscapes.Feedback
Don't be afraid to use a simple camera, even from a phone. If you want to capture an image bad enough, you'll find a way with the equipment or lack of equipment you have. Taking a picture of an object from multiple angles can give you surprising and unique results. Also don't be afraid to play with post processing software. I feel at times you can't always capture the beauty you see with your eyes on the camera. Post-processing can bring out the little details, or bring back the vibrancy of the colors that were lost through the lens. It is also amazing some the results you can come up with just with playing around with a photo, and sometimes the end product turns out different and better than you expected. It is art, make it your own.
