Chris Robins Photography

Tower of Power….

London, May 2011

This is my first HDR post.  This is my first HDR processed image to post.  I can hear Steve Beal now…”we gonna bracket or what keeeeeed?”  Steve got me back into the lost passion I have for the art form and medium that is photography.  It was October of 2010 to be exact when the epiphany occurred.  By Thanksgiving I was knee-deep in with camera bodies (5D MKII, 7D, 50D) & glass (all L, 2,8 14, 15-fish, 16-35, TS-17, 24-70, 70-200, 600) and the commensurate software and processing tools; Lightroom 3, Promote Control, Xrite Passport Color-checker, OnOne Photo Tools, Photomatix, CS5, iMac & MacBook Pro.  As Steve, or anyone who knows me knows, when I am in, I am ALL in.  Good, bad, or ugly.  And not cheap.

I was in London for a long weekend with my girl Nor and we were down by the River Thames doing some sightseeing and pub-hopping.  I had the specific intent of shooting this image having lived in London some years back and wanting to capture the newly  renovated, refurbished, painted, Tower Bridge.  The refurbishment happens only once every 25 year, I caught it just after the work was completed.  9 bracketed images.

It took me a while to really get comfortable with setting up an HDR shot, so many things to learn, think about, remember, and execute on from white balance to focus, to bulb for the longer brackets.  And the processing really was tough for me at first because I had absolutely no idea where to start or how to tone-map an image.   My boy Steve to the rescue, I feel comfortable enough now to be able to put up an image that the company I keep in the photo world will appreciate.

Here’s to losing my HDR image taking & processing virginity…hope you like it.  This one’s for The Punk Broheme (www.stevebeal.com).  Thanks keeeeed.  Lovin’ ya.

Posted on Wednesday, September 14th, 2011 at 10:10 am. Filed under: Bridge, HDR, London, Uncategorized Tags: bridge, HDR, London, Thames, Tower Bridge RSS 2.0 feed.

7 Responses to “Tower of Power….”

1. Steve Beal says:

   September 14, 2011 at 10:27 am

   I’m laughing my ass off! Ya nut ya! Love ya man, I’ve seen this shot before and loved it now and then… u ruley, bealy

   Reply
2. Mike Olbinski says:

   September 14, 2011 at 11:40 am

   heh…”keeeeed”

   You guys are bracketing fools.

   Love it.

   Reply
3. noreen hickey says:

   September 14, 2011 at 12:16 pm

   wow it is a beautiful photograph that almost makes me feel like its the perfect setting for a fairytale. And since i am rapidly becoming an urbex explorers widow, at least the fruits of your labor are amazing. your passion clearly shines through.. love u- the real tower of power..

   Reply
4. daniel taub says:

   September 14, 2011 at 3:06 pm

   Robins comes out rockin’! kudos and please bring us more

   Reply
5. Chris DeAngelis says:

   September 14, 2011 at 3:14 pm

   You aren’t kidding that you go all in! Great shot! Love the textures and the pop of blue from the suspension cables and supports.

   Reply
6. Bob Lussier says:

   September 14, 2011 at 3:17 pm

   Way to Rock the Bridge. You shoot good. I don’t care what Bealy says!

   Reply
7. Deano says:

   September 14, 2011 at 5:02 pm

   The student becomes the Bracket Master. Great stuff Frankie! Props to Bealy Boy on the Grasshopper tip. Could you bracket Vegas if I hold your drink?

   Reply