Photographer's Note
I'm not often out in traffic during rush hour but this afternoon I set my mind to visiting the Richmond-San Rafael bridge to see if I could get a few photos of the earthquake retrofit that has been underway for about three years. But as I entered downtown San Rafael I discovered traffic backed up at the freeway entrance. I took side streets until I reached the entrance of San Quentin prison where I intended to shoot. The traffic jam on the freeway extended to surrounding streets and it took quite a while to extricate myself and find a parking place. I will be the first to admit that traffic is not too outlandish on the top level of this two level bridge, but I can assure you that on the lower level there is a monstrous traffic jam that extends back for well over a mile. Four emergency vehicles drove past me as I stood taking photographs, sirens wailing. I decided then and there that this would be my rush hour shot.
This bridge, completed in 1956, carries over 60,000 vehicles every day from and to Marin County. The retrofit project began in 2001 and will not be completed until the winter of 2005 at a cost of well over $300 million. Below is a link to a website that describes in detail what is being done, for the benefit of those among you who are interested in bridges.
Richmond-San Rafael Retrofit Project
Critiques | Translate
spence
(65) 2004-06-26 2:29
Fantastic perspective on this Curtis. A really wonderful graphic image. As Gal says : that curve is superb. Very well done indeed.
Cool-ice
(5289) 2004-06-26 2:32
An excellent use of the tele for an impressive shot.
Excellent composition, in which we can see your attraction for the graphism.
And interesting note too.
Congrats and thank you, Curtis !
avigur_11
(22553) 2004-06-26 2:56
What a beautiful bridge wiyh the bend and the very complicated construction. The background and the forefround are very busy, and it adds to the feeling of a big urban mess. I like it, well done, Curtis.
Galeota
(10352) 2004-06-26 3:04
Oh YES! Great photograph Curtis. Amazing POV, and that curve made by the bridge going up from left to right and then to left again drawing perfectly our attention throughout the whole image, is fantastic. You've done a very good use of your tele converter. I love it.
kooreman
(321) 2004-06-26 3:30
Curtis, Nice bridge shot. It is so crowded you may get claustrophobia ;-) It really illustrates the business of rush hour it makes me feel like I am in a traffic jam. POV and composition are great.
Greetings, Jan
*** an amateur with an opinion ***
Liora
(1857) 2004-06-26 3:44
Magnificent composition. I join Jennifer in saying - the curve is superb!
ale
(1819) 2004-06-26 4:13
I like very much this geometrical shot Curtis! You have captured this amazing bridge in a great way, a very impressive contribution to the scav hunt!
ChrisJ
(171888) 2004-06-26 4:16
It looks similar to the Storey Bridge in Brisbane, Australia, which I believe was built by the Americans during, or just after World War 2.
http://www.teachers.ash.org.au/mikemath/mathsc/vectorgeometric/storeybridge.jpg
Nice graphism in your shot.
Burnham
(2428) 2004-06-26 8:10
This looked like a rollercoaster too me on the thumbnail, however seeing it like this I think I'll skip my ride :o) Exellent and diffrent rush hour shot, I have to figure that one out too, rush hour in my city is not that impressive, even though it's the second largest city in Denmark (doesn't say much :o). the amount of details in this shot would work very well as a large post.
Zanni
(6108) 2004-06-26 9:46
Not onli for rush hour theme but also for repetitive pattern is valid I Think. I hope always to avoid this traffic, but I can't avoid to admire this picture.
maphoto
(8082) 2004-06-26 10:14
Beautiful view and great perspective, the bridge is very beautiful and you chose a great angle to show it, the curves, lines, and graphic and also the moutain in the back makes it a very good composition, well seen.
Kenny10pin
(19301) 2004-06-26 13:15
What a great bridge you ahve taken, it is really beautiful and the place where you took it too is great
well done
Jeppe
(18654) 2004-06-26 15:01
Wow Curtis - surely an impressive image you posted here and a very fine contribution to the hunt - I would this also a repetive pattern (a try to make double hunts myself) and I even spotted some orange as well ;-)
Excellent capture you made of this fine bridge you found the best angle to present the structure and you filled the image completely.
(We also have a bridge which I would love to share here - but it a highway and its not allowed to stop at the spot where the best photo could be taken :-(
Hanssie
(11022) 2004-06-26 15:50
What a construction, the bridge and your picture, very nice point of view, Curtis !
kikvel
(4784) 2004-06-26 18:05
I like the composition, very nice point of view. I see some artifacts in the sky that I believe are results of the jpeg forced compression. And at the bottom, there are signs of overexposure. Overall, it is a good picture, congratulations!
RegisMinot
(1543) 2004-06-26 19:27
Excellent composition. You have chosen a long focale which puts almost on the same plane the long ascending curve of the bridge. This outlines the geometric architecture of this bridge.
nwoehnl
(122) 2004-06-27 13:16
Wow, you sure knew precisely which spot to go to in order to catch the bridge's curve in the most specatcular way, Curtis. This must be the single way to fit the longest part of the structure into one photo frame. The photo is delightfully detailed and offers really a lot to explore. Your note is very good, too. If it weren't for the rush hour this could also make an entry into the "repetitive pattern" category, there's quite a few of them to be seen (I just notice Jeppe made the same observation, so I'm going to file this one under "great minds think alike" ;-).
cmartos
(242) 2004-06-28 17:14
What an amazing set of lines you cought here! Really great, I like the crop, tight, keeping only essetial stuff. Busy brige, busy picture, excellent entry to S/H. Very well seen and presented Curtis!
dominique
(11414) 2004-06-30 5:49
A very impressive bridge, the sight is very good as the framing which enables us to see this spectacular work has the height of the pay, very good photograph.
yesterday
(9833) 2004-07-01 7:01
WOW - I love this chaos in the splendid composition, great light - contrast and color.
danbachmann
(1746) 2004-07-01 8:20
Thanks for the informative note. California is known for its amazing and crazy ramps.
As with many of the rush hour pictures, I appreciate them, but I'm glad I'm not there!
touristdidi
(8583) 2004-07-12 8:06 [Comment]
sn00zie
(2384) 2004-07-15 1:47 [Comment]
gg01
(355) 2004-08-10 11:30
is really impressing which construction. the photograph is successful very well well considering
mikee
(2354) 2004-08-12 21:34
Wonderful PoV. I like very much how the bridge curves in your shot, filling up every part of your frame effectively. Very attractive composition. Well done.
Kroto
(48) 2004-09-24 9:11
I just saw this bridge's twin brother. It's alive and well, in Montreal.
See: http://www.trekearth.com/gallery/North_America/Canada/photo82240.htm
Jafer (14) 2005-02-21 18:17
Top to bottom this photo resembles a master photographer.
Keep up the good work.
samakar
(187) 2005-03-03 1:03
Nice composition at the right time. Sunlight direction well emphesizes the structure. At first I thought you have post proccesed the photo. The note is informative.
johnhopkins
(866) 2005-03-16 16:41
This bridge really does look strong - pumped up to withstand anything! Nice curves here both in the sweep of the roadway and the towers. All the girders and steelwork add to the graphic appeal.
lollie
(0) 2005-10-04 15:25
Hi Curtis,
Great perspestive and an exellent composition, tat curve is superb and the bisy background and foreground are good too.
Vagabond
(5848) 2005-11-02 15:12
Congratulations for this nice work as well as the TE book Cover page ..
Kind regards
Rui
banyanman
(7797) 2005-11-13 9:13
I spotted this on your home page, Curtis, and I am so glad I did because it is a very impressive composition making great use of your telephoto converter. It looks like a giant Meccano structure. You have composed/cropped this perfectly and the sharpness is superb. Cheers . . . David
jkos
(981) 2005-11-22 14:39
Wow!!! Excelent composition. Very strong.
And with a lot of flow, following the
lines of the bridge.
TFS,
Joel
royh
(581) 2006-01-05 14:29
Great shot of the bridge I used to drive on every now and then for 4 years from UCDavis to the Bay Area and back. Must have been at least 50 times... But I must say the new bridge is a lot nicer.
Photo Information
-
Copyright: Curtis Grindahl (cgrindahl)
(6113)
- Genre: Τοποθεσίες
- Medium: Έγχρωμο
- Date Taken: 2004-06-25
- Categories: Καθημερινότητα
- Camera: Nikon Coolpix 5700, 1.5X Tele Conversion
- Έκδοση φωτογραφίας: Πρωτότυπη έκδοση
- Θέμα(τα): San Francisco Bay [view contributor(s)]
- Date Submitted: 2004-06-26 1:58
- Αγαπημένα: 1 [view]
Discussions
- To RegisMinot: You got it... (1)
by cgrindahl, last updated 2004-06-26 09:23 - To kikvel: Those are birds... (1)
by cgrindahl, last updated 2004-06-26 09:29 - To Jeppe: The scavenger hunt... (1)
by cgrindahl, last updated 2004-06-26 09:51 - To maphoto: The mountain you see... (1)
by cgrindahl, last updated 2004-06-26 09:57 - To Zanni: Yes, a rush hour to avoid... (1)
by cgrindahl, last updated 2004-06-26 10:01 - To ChrisJ: They do look similar... (1)
by cgrindahl, last updated 2004-06-27 02:04 - To ale: Thanks Alessandra! (1)
by cgrindahl, last updated 2004-06-27 02:08 - To nwoehnl: Now, that is a club... (1)
by cgrindahl, last updated 2004-06-28 11:47 - To cmartos: And soooo different.... (1)
by cgrindahl, last updated 2004-06-28 06:27 - To touristdidi: Are you a traveler... (1)
by cgrindahl, last updated 2004-07-12 01:03