Great Bridges: The London "Tower Bridge" on the Thames

[Asher Kelman]

I rediscovered a lot of small images I had taken of the Thames early in 2007. These were a surprise find in cataloging my files. I was lucky to have such great clouds. I'm working on a number of choices. So this is a good time to give feedback and to post your own creative views of bridges and river scenes.

Photo: Asher Kelman "London Bridge Panorama 2007" Do not download, shown for C&C only

I hope you enjoy this and that your river scenes and bridges will follow.


Asher

[Valentin Arfire]

Hi Asher, another beautiful picture, thank you for sharing.
In the left there are some stitching errors and I wouldn't recommend printing it before solving those (could it be due to APP?); anyway they're not affecting the river and the incredible sky. This is a proof Angels are around .

I dare remind you a bridge from Prague I took in August;


regards,

[Asher Kelman]

Originally Posted by Valentin Arfire

Hi Asher, another beautiful picture, thank you for sharing.
In the left there are some stitching errors and I wouldn't recommend printing it before solving those (could it be due to APP?); anyway they're not affecting the river and the incredible sky. This is a proof Angels are around .

Thanks Valentin,

Yes of course, the left stitch is by hand an unfinished. I just was so excited at my find that I decided to share it. I have different layers with other exposures to decide on blending in or not. Also there are boats which I have tried adding or excluding. I decided to go for a more open look but use the two proximal structures to anchor the scene right near us so as to increase the feeling of depth and that this scene is on top of the world.

Originally Posted by Valentin Arfire

I dare remind you a bridge from Prague I took in August;

Valentin,

Reminds me of the impressionists; the feeling is of a vacation to the countryside although this is the center of Prague! Processed especially for that? Otherwise, explain the soft painterly effect.

Asher

[Cem_Usakligil]

Hi Asher,

You have captured this constantly changing part of London well. It seems that the weather was less than ideal but not quite bad either. Especially the clouds add a lot of value to the picture.
Now knowing that the version you have shown is not the end product but work in progress, I won't comment on the technical issues. But I can imagine how the end product will look like and if will comment on that.

There is a lot of detail in the picture and when printed large, it will certainly invite the lookers to go closer and look at the small details. From what I can see in the small version on my screen, the individual pictures which make up the pano are sharp and detailed enough to allow for that.

The curvature of the river (resembling a slight, horizontal s-curve) is pleasing. As I wrote, clouds add a lot of interest to the picture. Was it windy? It must be a pain to stitch them if they were moving fast. I hope that you'll work on the river to add some local contrast and highlights to that large brown mass of water.

Looking forward to seeing your finished work. Thanks for sharing.

Cheers,

[Asher Kelman]

Cem,

A short acknowledgment and thanks for the feedback. There is a tiny angle contributing to the look of curvature and also I think a bend the river, perhaps.

I want us to get more river views from others!

Asher

[Cem_Usakligil]

Originally Posted by Asher Kelman

..I want us to get more river views from others!

OK since you've asked for it, I am willing to revitalize a previous pano project of mine which has never been completed. The pano below is taken in Rotterdam. It has a lot of stitching and blending errors, especially in the sky, so please ignore them now. BTW, I have shown this pano more than a year ago in this thread.




Cheers,

[Asher Kelman]

I'm glad you showed this again. I had forgotten it perhaps.

© Cem Uakligil Rotterdam Harbor Panorama

Cem,

Might there be two pano's here? One with the beautiful blue structure on the left with impressive red brick buildings reflected in the water and the other with the industrial type buildings and the giant ship container crane in rusty brown.

I'm guessing blue sculptured structure is the http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Erasmusbrug.jpg Erasmus Bridge! Also from the Wikipedia:

The port of Rotterdam is the largest in Europe. From 1962 to 2004, it was the world's busiest port; then it was superseded by Shanghai. Rotterdam is situated on the banks of the river Nieuwe Maas ('New Meuse'), one of the channels in the delta formed by the Rhine and Meuse rivers. The name Rotterdam derives from a dam in the Rotte river." I hadn't realized it was so important!

Given the angularity of the blue iron work, I'd consider cropping away all the buildings to the left of the bridge and enter the picture from open water. The more industrial right side can also stand on its own. however, they're fine as they are.

Thanks Cem. That's a place worth visiting.

Asher

[fahim mohammed]

Asher, reminds me of the countless walks I have taken along the embankment and the Thames. Sure brings back memories. Somehow panos of rivers with manmade structures on either side do not inspire me. The clouds and the Thames is beautiful.

Valentin, famous bridge, painterly effect in keeping with the atmosphere of Praha. Somehow I would like
to see the same effect in winter.

Cem, many times visited Rotterdam when I was based in Eindhoven with Phillips. Long time ago, but you
bring it back albeit with many many changes.

Regards.

[Valentin Arfire]

nice panorama, very interesting.
definitely promising the effort to prepare the high resolution version.

regards,
Valentin

[Cem_Usakligil]

Originally Posted by Valentin Arfire

nice panorama, very interesting.
definitely promising the effort to prepare the high resolution version.

regards,
Valentin

Thanks Valentine. I wonder, can I use one of those VR programs to present this even though it is not a 360/180? If so, where to start (which program)?

BTW, what about your painterly effect which Asher mentioned? It is a very nice representation of Prague if you ask me :-)

Cheers.

[Cem_Usakligil]

Originally Posted by fahim mohammed

...Cem, many times visited Rotterdam when I was based in Eindhoven with Phillips. Long time ago, but you
bring it back albeit with many many changes.

Hi Fahim,

You are a man full of (nice) surprises. So when were you in Eindhoven, how long, etc? Tell me more pls.

Cheers,

[Asher Kelman]

Originally Posted by fahim mohammed

Somehow panos of rivers with manmade structures on either side do not inspire me. The clouds and the Thames is beautiful.

Hi Fahim,

I am not inspired but impressed with the great things that man can make that cannot last while the river keeps going. I make these for several reasons. First the architectural structures are technically impressive and represent a massive investment of energy, time and finance and the tissues and sinews of a modern urban commercial society. They are as natural then as waterfalls and as such, wear themselves out by being consuming. Their very success cuts into their existence.

All my panoramas are intended as backgrounds for my artwork. That's my real interest. What I makei s just the canvas. The sparkle of the best and the scars of the worst of our lives.

Asher

[fahim mohammed]

Cem, early seventies. had just completed my masters in telecoms and was working for phillips in england
and they would ask us to go work with our dutch collegues.

Later on my connection continued with holland with me working for a joint venture bank, ABN-AMRO. ABN-AMRO is no more.

I know Amsterdam, maybe better than you do. Count a lot friends here and in Holland.

Regards.

Originally Posted by Cem_Usakligil

Hi Fahim,

You are a man full of (nice) surprises. So when were you in Eindhoven, how long, etc? Tell me more pls.

Cheers,

[fahim mohammed]

Tongue in cheek comment Asher. Just hope existing rivers continue to give pleasure for our coming
generations.

I am jealous because I do not know how to do panos. Limited vision?

Regards.

Originally Posted by Asher Kelman

Hi Fahim,

I am not inspired but impressed with the great things that man can make that cannot last while the river keeps going. I make these for several reasons. First the architectural structures are technically impressive and represent a massive investment of energy, time and finance and the tissues and sinews of a modern urban commercial society. They are as natural then as waterfalls and as such, wear themselves out by being consuming. Their very success cuts into their existence.

All my panoramas are intended as backgrounds for my artwork. That's my real interest. What I makei s just the canvas. The sparkle of the best and the scars of the worst of our lives.

Asher

[doug anderson]

Great bridges Asher, particularly the first with the incredible sky. There is such spaciousness there. What lens?

[Asher Kelman]

Originally Posted by doug anderson

Great bridges Asher, particularly the first with the incredible sky. There is such spaciousness there. What lens?

Thanks Doug,

I used the 50 mm f1.2 L lens from Canon with my EOS 5D. Any lens can be used. The longer the lens, the more images need to be stitched but more chance there is for errors. The benefit is going to be more pixels for each feature that's detail rich. So it's really a matter of how much detail there is to be captured. After all, one can use the side angle prime lenses or zooms to do very good job in a single shot. Even just rotating the camera to portrait position and overlapping 5-6 shots can give a great increase in resolution. Because of overlap, one gets about half the number of pixels wide that one uses.

You should try it. Isn't there a bridge near you? You can download a trial copy of APP!

Asher

[Rachel Foster]

All beautiful images. Asher, I particularly like the sky in yours.

[Asher Kelman]

Thanks for the kind remark, Rachel. There is more sky that holds the strength of what you see. I just have to add more leaves to make up for a stitching gap. I guess its' good to have a rainy climate. The late afternoon following a storm here in s. California gives great skies.

Asher

[Valentin Arfire]

Though incomparable to the great important rivers presented here, I dare think the channel here carries more than just the water;

Actually since 17'th century it was a navigation route to/from Vienna.

here is a spherical panorama with Bega

http://www.europhoto.ro/valentin/tim...Bega/pano.html


and here a planar unusual projection


[I promise to return with an important bridge around, just waiting for a sunnier and warmer day ]

[Valentin Arfire]

http://www.europhoto.ro/valentin/tim...pano/pano.html
one week later - on lovers day - with dramatic different conditions (Windows only and Deval plug-in; the panorama is approx 10 MB)

more or less the same spot

[Asher Kelman]

Originally Posted by Valentin Arfire

http://www.europhoto.ro/valentin/tim...pano/pano.html
one week later - on lovers day - with dramatic different conditions (Windows only and Deval plug-in; the panorama is approx 10 MB)

more or less the same spot

Valentin,

Why the change in viewer? The first I was able to view and liked to be able to see the folk sitting on the benches. Good images within the spherical Pano. However, would have like a tad more zoom on them.

The new one I cannot get on my Mac even though I have quicktime!

Asher

[Valentin Arfire]

hi friends,

I am an Intel-Mac user, but running Windows XP, Ubuntu and Leopard as it is required by the customers needs.

This is 16000x8000 pixel panorama; the single player albe to handle all this is DevalVR which runs until now only for Windows.

Here is a flash version of it - but the cubefaces are 2000 pixels compared to 5000 of the previous.
http://www.europhoto.ro/valentin/tim...pano/pano.html

The spot is the same but since the conditions differ - Valentines Day plus the dramatic weather - I think it could be of interest.

sorry for any inconvenience,

[Asher Kelman]

Let's have more of these bridges, big and small!



Valentin,

Your links need fixing!

[Otto Haring]

Originally Posted by Asher Kelman

I'm glad you showed this again. I had forgotten it perhaps.

© Cem Uakligil Rotterdam Harbor Panorama

Cem,

Might there be two pano's here? One with the beautiful blue structure on the left with impressive red brick buildings reflected in the water and the other with the industrial type buildings and the giant ship container crane in rusty brown.

I'm guessing blue sculptured structure is the http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Erasmusbrug.jpg Erasmus Bridge! Also from the Wikipedia:

The port of Rotterdam is the largest in Europe. From 1962 to 2004, it was the world's busiest port; then it was superseded by Shanghai. Rotterdam is situated on the banks of the river Nieuwe Maas ('New Meuse'), one of the channels in the delta formed by the Rhine and Meuse rivers. The name Rotterdam derives from a dam in the Rotte river." I hadn't realized it was so important!

Given the angularity of the blue iron work, I'd consider cropping away all the buildings to the left of the bridge and enter the picture from open water. The more industrial right side can also stand on its own. however, they're fine as they are.

Thanks Cem. That's a place worth visiting.

Asher

Wow! very nice!

[Asher Kelman]

Let's have more bridges!!!

[Helene Anderson]

Great image of the bridge Asher .




But the title . . . "London Bridge Panorama 2007" London Bridge and Tower Bridge are two different bridges. As some people found out years ago it sems, thought they were buying Tower Bridge but London Bridge was delivered. Robert P. McCulloch was the chap, or so the story goes.

[Tracy Lebenzon]

Very nice panos! I like the idea also and know of a few perfect examples of bridges in the region.

[Asher Kelman]

Hélène and Tracy,

Thanks for your comments. I love the pano view joining the modern and vintage London. I had hope to do more this visit to Europe. However, there's Paris to come!

Asher

[Nicolas Claris]

Originally Posted by Asher Kelman

Let's have more bridges!!!

Romain and I had an assignment for shooting the Summer 2011 cruises of the CNB100 Chrisco.
Thus, from May to October we regularly flew from Bordeaux to different places in Europe, such as Denmark, Stockholm, Saint-Petersburg and Saint-tropez…
From that job ended a 10 minutes film on DVD and a 100 pages book, both edited for Christmas.

Today, as the thread's subject is bridge(s), I'll tell you about our 1st shooting (both video and stills).

The assignment was to shoot the boat while passing under the Great Belt Bridge in Denmark.
We flew from Bordeaux to Amsterdam (Schipol) then to Copenhagen, rent a car and drove to Odense for a good sleep.
The morning after, I called the skipper (they were sailing straight from Bordeaux that they left a few days before) and we determined that the shoot should happen mid afternoon.
Timing was perfect as we planned to fly back home late afternoon. The sky was of a beautiful blue, sun shined, colza fields were pure gold, let's go for a touristic tour Romain!
At the beginning of the afternoon I called again and the skipper told me that due to facing wind and bad current the would arrive later, around 6 pm.
Ok, nice! we'll have sunset!
As I knew that the boat will sail under the bridge once only (errors and mistakes forbidden!), my plan was to reach the boat about 20 minutes before they pass under the bridge so we could prepare the shoot, analyze the directions of boat, light, wind etc. and find the right angles with the bridge from both sides.
So I gave to the helicopter pilot a course in order to join the boat 3 mile ahead of the bridge; taking into account that we had to fly 20 minutes to get to that expected meeting point.

Real conditions for the shoot:
About 20 minutes from the take off, some clouds and light haze started to come from west and whiten the light.
The bridge being approximately oriented from East to West, we knew that some angles will be complicated at sunset…

Flying over the Danish fields in Spring, going straight to were we "should" meet the boat:





Here we are!

[Nicolas Claris]

Before passing the bridge…