Pohono Bridge Yosemite

[Gerald_Gilligan]

Pohono Bridge Yosemite Valley

This image was made on December 8, 2009 at 1:39 pm.

5D MK II
f/16
1/4 sec
ISO 100
125 mm
70-200 2.8L IS
RAW
PP in Photoshop.

If you have ever visited the Valley then you have crossed this bridge...
I put the bridge on the second third for impact. All comments and critiques are welcome...

By the end of 1928 a system of hard-surfaced roads extended over the valley floor, necessitated by the increased travel due particularly to the opening of the All-Year Highway into the park.

A total of eight granite-faced, concrete arch bridges were constructed on the floor of Yosemite Valley between 1921 and 1933. All were of similar design, with variations in size and configuration. Built of reinforced concrete veneered with native granite, they each had either one or three arches with finely cut keystones.

One of The structures was the Pohono Bridge, crossing the Merced River at the beginning of the road to Valley. Designed by the senior highway bridge engineer of the U. S. Bureau of Public Roads in collaboration with the Landscape Division of the Park Service to accommodate all classes of traffic and to harmonize with their natural surroundings, they had been endorsed by the National Commission of Fine Arts.

[Dave Mills]

Hi Gerald, Nice,even lighting along with a good exposure that enables me to see detail in the snow. The comp is simple yet effective. I would have given it a bit more room on the right otherwise nicely handled...

[Stu Bowie]

I like how the stone pitching on the bridge stands out against the snowy BG. Overall, well exposed Gerald.

[David Thomasson]

I love arc of the bridge and the variety of fine textures in this image. I think it needs a little CW rotation.

Also seems a little heavy on cyan to me, but that may just be my personal preference. Very nice work.

http://img34.imageshack.us/img34/1719/bridge2v.jpg

Rotated, color adjusted, and fine details enhanced just a smidgen ...

http://img709.imageshack.us/img709/6441/bridgex.jpg

[Roman Kurywczak]

Hey Jerry,
I see David caught my recommendation and I like the way he brought out the details even more. Nicely done.

[David Thomasson]

About sharpening details (for anyone interested): I've just been testing two sharpening plug-ins: Topaz Detail ($40) and Nik Sharpener Pro 3.0 ($200).
After experimenting with these on a number of images, I've convinced myself that I can get as much from Topaz as from Nik. I already
owned Topaz and was considering Nik, but I really can't see enough difference to justify the cost.

For most sharpening I just use USM with an edge mask. For fine details, such as in this image or the fine feathers on birds, Topaz
will usually bring those details out more cleanly than USM, with less artifacting.

I used Topaz on my repost of this bridge.

[Gerald_Gilligan]

Thank you all for your comments and suggestions... Very insightful for me...

Dave, I agree with you that I could have taken another image (pano) to include more of the right.

David, I appreciate you re-posting this image. I went back to the original and the original actually is more CW than your re post. I remember using the upper bridge line to adjust the level and adjusted it more CCW.
Your correction is more accurate than mine.
The cyan adjustment does help...I used a curve adjustment to get the snow a bit whiter and that could be the cause of the color cast.

Jerry

[Indranil Sircar]

Very nice Gerald. Great light and details. Nice to the bridge and the river with a fresh snow. I was there few days before the snow.

[Robert Amoruso]

Gerald,

Good composition as mentioned and Dave's tweaking makes it just right.

Topaz is a nice package. Just started messing with it.