The Harbour Bridge
Nov, 2015Views
1663
Likes
Awards
Contest Finalist in Bridges At Night Photo Contest
Featured
Contest Finalist in From Afar: Architecture Photo Contest
Peer Award
Superb Composition
Top Choice
Absolute Masterpiece
Love it
Magnificent Capture
Outstanding Creativity
All Star
Superior Skill
Top Ranks
Top 20 rankTop 20 rank week 1
Top 20 rankTop 10 rank week 2Top 10 rank week 1
Categories
Same photographer See allBehind The Lens
Discover more photos See all
Behind The Lens
Location
This image was taken from the rooftop of an office building on Circular Quay in Sydney.Time
This was taken just after sunset, on the day of the Melbourne Cup, whilst all my friends and colleagues were celebrating with a few brews, I had to abstain until after the shoot as one of the conditions of access to the roof.Lighting
It hadn't been a very nice day. In fact it was raining for most of the day, and was decidedly overcast. However, once the rain stopped the visibility was excellent.Equipment
I shoot with a Canon 6D and my go to lens is the 24-105 F4 L, all mounted to a tripod which is essential for a long exposures.Inspiration
As soon as I heard that i would be going to Sydney on business I immediately started to research the photo opportunities there, but knew that I wanted to bring a new perspective to Sydney's famous landmarks.Editing
Sure! This HDR image was blended from 5 different exposures using luminosity masks, allowing me to retain the details in the highlights and shadows throughout the frame.In my camera bag
I've only been shooting for two years, so for rooftop shoots, not so much. A Canon 6D, 24-105 F4L, a CPL, 4 stop and 10 stop filters and a tripod. Oh..., and accessories, I always have a remote trigger (although I quite like using the Canon app as the light drops), I also have a rain cover in there, a towel, micro fibre cloth, as well as spare batteries, spare memory cards, and importantly, spare tripod plates!Feedback
Seems like a lot of people trespass to gain access to rooftops, but to me a photograph is not worth risking prosecution. When I knew that I was heading to Sydney, I reached out to building managers and owners of various properties and spent three months negotiating conditions of access to otherwise locked and heavily monitored rooftops. One of the conditions that won the managers over was my consent to being accompanied by a security guard throughout my shoot, at my own cost. I initially baulked at the idea, but good shoots can cost money to put together, be it models, MUA, wardrobe etc. As it turned out the cost of hiring the guard for a few hours cost less than the tour of the Harbour Bridge, but I arguably got just as nice views, and I was allowed to bring my camera!
