Sunshine Skyway Bridge

[Dennis Bishop]

A bit over four miles long, the Sunshine Skyway Bridge crosses Tampa Bay, connecting St. Petersburg, Florida, on its north end to Terra Ceia on the other. The greatest clearance for boats is between the suspension towers and cables. The photo was taken through the windshield while I was riding shotgun heading southbound toward the first tower. If you're wondering what's on the green posts, they're surveillance cameras to alert the Highway Patrol in case someone decides to stop for photos.


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iPhone 5s, PureShot camera app, ISO 32, f/2.2, 1/2200 sec

processing highlights

Some warping was required because my attention was more on the scene than keeping the phone level. The bottom was cropped away to remove some non-photogenic stuff.
The pickup truck and vehicle to its right weren't good colors for the image, so separate layers were used to change that. Blending modes were Overlay for one and Hue for the other.
Topaz Simplify -- saved watercolor preset, masked
Alien Skin Snap Art -- saved watercolor wash preset, Hard Light
two Flypaper Textures textures -- both masked and Soft Light
three Fractalius layers -- saved black & white presets, Divide (masked)/Multiply/Multiply
Snap Art Line Art -- saved black & white preset, Multiply, masked
Simplify -- saved black & white edges preset, Multiply, masked
copy of Snap Art Line Art -- Divide, inverted mask
copy of Simplify edges -- Divide, inverted mask

[Jackie Schuknecht]

The composition is unusual, I like the span of the beam supports leading you in and out of the frame. The toning is very nice. I wish the one truck didn't merge with the vehicle ahead, but a very small point. I guess you were too fast to be caught on camer:bg3:

[Nancy Bell]

Too funny about the surveillance cameras! You really brought out the reason for the name Sunshine Skyway Bridge with the glowing golden cables!

[Mitch Carucci]

It is a dramatic vista from that bridge! I like what you did (as usual) with the processing.

(I like this pic, and the bridge also because the few times I have crossed it I was on my way to Sanibel :S3:)

[Anita Bower]

I love these types of bridges and haven't yet been able to photograph one satisfactorily. Love your perspective! Great composition with the diagonal lines going up through 2/3 of the image, and then stopping with the strong vertical. Your usual magnificent processing. Love the colors, especially the yellow of the bridge and the sky.