Interstate 5 Bridge at Night
Jun, 2017Views
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Behind The Lens
Location
This photo was photographed from the WA side of the Columbia River near Joe's Crab Shack. I have previously taken a same photo 8 years prior, but it was with Nikon's then-professional camera, the Nikon D1x. I figured I'd stop by and try with my Nikon D300s, and this is the beautiful result that I came up with.Time
I don't remember to be honest; all I remember is that it was after work; I worked at a factory until 11:00pm. I'll say this was taken between 11:30pm - 12:00am. .... *opens the HDD to check exact date and time* *ahem* It ACTUALLY happened on: Date Time Original: Mar 26, 2011, 21:54:35.Lighting
The thing is that if you look at this image here - there are a whole lot of light from different light colors - you have the blues, the halogens on the bridge that look almost orange, the fluorescent/day lights across the river. You must be aware that all of these lights will impact your overall image. I had my camera set up for night photos, so at first glance it turned out really nice.Equipment
This photography was made using: Camera: Nikon D300s Lens: Tamron AF 18-200mm f/3.5-6.3 XR Di II LD Aspherical (IF) Macro (A14NII) Flash: No Flash ISO: 160 Tipod: twigs, small rocks, anything to stabilize the camera :)Inspiration
Like I said in the Lighting section, this was just a spot I was really passionate about and I liked the lights bouncing off the bridge in the river water. I really liked it in camera. I didn't know my camera well enough in 2011 to know what it's capable of. I guess to answer the question, curiosity inspired me to say the least :)Editing
I don't remember post-processing this photo, even though a lot of people who have seen this photo think I did. I just took a little extra time when I was out there photographing, to make sure I can make out what is on the photo itself - like the bridge, the passing cars and trucks on the bridge.In my camera bag
I have the Lowpro Flipside 300 bag; it's a backpack-style bag, which I really love because it's very comfortable. Look it up, you'll know what I mean. What I have in the bag: Nikon D300s body w/ Tamron AF 70-200mm F/2.8 (IF) Macro attached Nikon AF Nikkor 70-300mm 1:4-5.6 D Nikon AF Nikkor 50mm 1.4 D Nikon AF Nikkor 28-105mm 1:3.4-4.5 D (with a macro switch) Nikon Speedlight SB-800 Nikon MC-30 Shutter Release w/ lock DigiPower TC-U450 Multi-Battery Charger Energizer 15-minute Battery Charger 15-1 Card Reader (I need to update it)Feedback
If I were to photograph the I-5 bridge again right now, I would work with my white balance and make sure that the overall light is balanced out to the best of my ability, so it doesn't look so yellow. I like my images to look real, all color and light balanced out. Because this was in 2011, about 2.5 years into my photography, so I didn't think much about "creating an interesting image," I was more into experimenting with my gear and see what I could come up with. To those trying to capture something similar, or slow-shutter photography in general, a good rule of thumb is to simply be patient; wait until you get the photo that you will walk away happy from. Follow all safety, depending where you are photographing. I had a close-call with a small coyote in the bushes, but good thing I at least had my powerful flashlight with me so I could scare it away with light. I'm not an expert, so don't quote me on that one. If photographing near a highway or road, it's a good idea to invest in the DOT-approved fluorescent safety vest (this step will also prevent cops pulling you over for not being safe and possibly preventing you from getting a ticket).
