The Mighty Mac
The Mackinac Bridge connects the lower and upper peninsulas of Michigan, shining bright at night!
The Mackinac Bridge connects the lower and upper peninsulas of Michigan, shining bright at night!
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Nov, 2016Views
2318
Likes
Awards
Amateur Winner Color In The Night Photo Contest
Contest Finalist in Color In The Night Photo Contest
Peer Award
Absolute Masterpiece
Top Choice
Superb Composition
All Star
Magnificent Capture
Outstanding Creativity
Superior Skill
Emotions
Impressed
Top Ranks
Top 10 rankTop 10 rank week 1
Top 10 rankTop 10 rank week 1
Top 10 rank
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rockinroddyholbrook
December 10, 2016
Thank you! I crossed the mac 8 times that trip, just love the bridge!
rockinroddyholbrook
December 27, 2017
She really is a beautiful bridge, I enjoy it every time I get the chance!!
PRO+
Neverdullphotography
January 05, 2018
Join the conversation. Add a comment or even better, a critique. Let's get better together!
PRO+
rockinroddyholbrook
January 07, 2018
thank you, love this bridge!! I had planned to ride my trike (pedal power) over the bridge during a sponsored ride last year but the fine print said no stopping, no pictures? huh...not going to spend $25 to ride across and not be able to share the experience!
rockinroddyholbrook
February 17, 2018
I had this blown up onto a 48x32 canvas and it is beautiful, crisp and colorful
PRO+
Same photographer See allBehind The Lens
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Behind The Lens
Location
This picture is of the Mackinac Bridge that connects the lower and upper peninsulas of Michigan, this 5 mile long beauty is a well known favorite for many of us here in Michigan, crossing is always an exciting experience!! This picture was taken from a park just east of Fort Mackinac on the south end of the bridge, a small picnic and rest area where you can access the beach for a stroll or just take in the beaut of the bridge!Time
I always love crossing this bridge, at night is even more of an exciting time with all the lights, this trip was no different! Having made reservations in the U.P. with plans to try out my new camera and newfound skills from an online class, I knew a night shot of the MIGHTY MAC would definitely be a bonus and a test of all I had learned!! It was just past dark and we had finally made it to the bridge after the long ride, a rest and a walk were in order before we crossed to the U.P. for the night! We took the last exit at Fort Mackinac and spotted a small park which offered this view, and spent an hour or so just enjoying the beauty! We returned to this same spot for sunrise each morning of our stay!!Lighting
I've had a little practice with nightscapes and knew I'd need to get a long exposure in the late evening darkness, setting the camera to a 25 second exposure. This of course gave light trails from the headlights and taillights of the cars crossing the bridge, but really made the reflecting light pop on the fairly calm water below making for a beautiful image, one I enjoy very much and have printed on canvas and hanging on my wall!Equipment
I shot this with my Canon T6i using the Sigma 18-300mm lens on tripod!Inspiration
From the moment I knew I was making this trip to the time the bridge came into view, I knew I wanted to try for this shot! The conditions were perfect; little wind, no cloud cover, just a beautiful early fall evening! The closer we came to the bridge, the more excited I became, anxiously searching for the perfect angle for the shot which came from this location which seemed planned for this view! I pity the millions who cross this beautiful span yearly and never realize this view and relaxing park are here to be enjoyed!Editing
Post-processing was fairly new to me at the time of this shot, I had just purchased LightRoom and had a very minimal understanding of how to process! Truly, very little processing was needed or performed, some slight tweaks to bring in the crispness and vibrancy of color, mostly!! What you see is basically what the camera saw!In my camera bag
Well, my bag....did I mention I was very new to photography at this point?? LOL My bag consisted of the Canon T6i with the normal kit lenses (18-55 and 55-250, I believe) along with my newly acquired Sigma 18-300mm contemporary lense which I bought to minimize the need to change lenses! Of course, there was my trusty Alta tripod for keeping the camera still on the long exposure shots!! Not much else, I'm afraid...Feedback
My advise to anyone looking to get shots like this is just do it! Nothing tops experience and you will never get experience without trial and error! Find the ideal location to set up, take many hots across a range of lighting if possible and experiment with the settings to find the optimal set up, your reward is a beautiful capture of your memories! I can't tell you how often I've gone to a smaller city to practice light trails, my hopes is to get to Chicago or Detroit...or Vegas or...for some city nightscapes, these shots are a favorite of mine!
