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This view underneath the Berkeley pier was taken at low tide so that the mussels and dark seaweed can be seen. And plus it is only at low tide when you can squeeze under the pipes to get to this spot relatively dry. Waves kept splashing salt spray onto the filters, so the plastic bag over the camera and filters came in handy. So it took about 20 minutes to get this shot because at least once every 30 seconds a wave would make me have to cover up.
This pier sits on a fault line and on top of 300 feet of mud so there is not a straight line in sight! I have now been under lots of piers and in this area they all have plenty of cracks and rust. Great for photography.
I've been experimenting with HDR (not on this shot) and have come close to getting the results I want. I hope that the new version of PhotoMatix (that should be released sometime soon I hope) will do a better job. I'll have to try this using HDR, though in this case, the inverted ND grads also increase the exposure time, which I like for these sorts of shots. And a little extra contrast and limited dynamic range vs. HDR helps bring out a little extra definition and boldness I think.
30 second exposure @F18 with inverted ND grad 0.9
| Title: | Under the Pier - Berkeley |
| Username: | 
PatrickSmith |
| Uploaded: | 15 Jan 2007 - 3:08 PM |
| Camera: | Canon EOS 5D |
| Lens: | Canon 24-105L @50 |
| Recording media: | RAW ISO 50 |
| Tags: | Architecture, Berkeley, Exposure, Francisco, General, Landscape / travel, Long, Pier, San |
| Votes: | 197 |
Comments
That's one helluva pier to have a vanishing point as seen. You've exposed it very well indeed and I am always drawn to these type of shots.
Well done.
Rob
If HDR can improve on this, worth thinking about. Class image, especially when viewed LARGE.
Pity that it is CPU-consuming the HDR-thing. Great shot and here you can really talk about lead. Lots off details
Peter
Wow what composition and light fantastic wonderful repartition
Brian..............
Awesome.. I really like the natural water line leading to the center!
Jim
So are we looking at one RAW file reprocessed into 'would-be HDR' or several woven exposures, Patricko?
Another cracker - nice symmetry & the colours and textures look great
Sean
The hard work you put into taking this was well worth the effort.
Penny
Thanks for looking!
Yes Peter, it took about 1 minute to process 8 shots I had taken this weekend but shorter on some ones with only 3 exposures.
Keith, I'm using 'Merge to HDR' and then tone mapping. Since I don't have that ghosting tool yet, I haven't tried to shoot anything with waves. It works fairly well on normal daytime shots, but I tried one from under a pier with the GG bridge in view (in much brighter light) to the left as the sun set. But even with a wide range of exposure values, it came out really strange. It was a series of long exposures varying from 1-5 minutes, but by the time I'd taken the last one, it was much darker and the light was much different. Oh well. I'll try it again later.
I did try the 'fake HDR' with blending in PS and it looked even more strange!
It is great to try out shots that I would not even attampt with grads. I can't wait to get this process right.
Patrick
The abstract -ness of this is supburb-- as are the details and colors-- Extra-ordinary leading line!
another great and well done image!
jennnnnnnn
Its quite hypnotic, staring at the vanishing point on this - very effective
Phil.
Ah...I thought you were saying that this a HDR shot.
I nearly clicked this....but I've seen it before and I'm feeling non-generous.
Thanks for your comments!
Aha Keith, then I'll have to do an HDR version of this, though there isn't a lot of contrast. You asked for it! I'll have to wait until later this week when the tide is low near sunset. The forecast is for more dead-clear skies for the next week so I have to wait for sunset. 100 mile visibilities today.
I know Maddie, isn't he a meanie? LOL!
Patrick
I neatly clicked this---ha
I love the infinity in this,more so than your last shot,however might of been tempted to crop that firt horizontal beam?
lol - Kim,
I do have one zoomed in a little more starting from the second beam but it doesn't quite have as much 'going to infinity' feel to it.
Patrick
Very good looking picture you took here, Patrick.
Reminds me, my first job abroad in 1973/4 at Ras Tanura, Saudi-Arabia, We did a modification/extention underneath the large pier where the ships came loading the Oil products. Views like this, but lots of pipes to. lol
Jan
Fantastic perspective Patrick/love the differing tones on the pillars and the colour of the water makes for a perfect contrast.
Tom.
The perspective here is amazing but it is the way you have shot perfectly level to that lighter tide line that makes this shot sing.
Eric.
Thanks for your comments!
Thanks Mike, I haven't done one yet this year. Not in the right place at the right time!
LOL Jan, I will have to take a trip to the middle east to get more shots like this!
Thanks Eric. I did try to get high tide line into the right spot. I had to fiddle around with the composition for a while, as there were no straight lines or anything to go on.
Patrick
Excellent shot Patrick, it looks like this pier stretches into infinity! The detail and composition are brilliant
It's almost like one of those mind puzzles,as each time you look at it there is something else to see,well taken and the composistion is super
Bridget
Like the enclosed feel and the perspective. Works well with the green band being halfway down and dissapearing off into the distance.
Hi Patrick,
that is one amazing shot,i like how you can tell with the dark band then the green lichen band,then the wood/textured shot with the grain all the way up.The symmetry,perspective,the water that looks mirrored and the beauty of it all they way along.A magical natural abstact.My kind of shot.Perfect!!!
Take care.Ann
I click and say this is mighty good work, Patrick.........
New snow here now and -5 C, when writing this, BUT expecting +4 C tomorrow and RAIN!! AGAIN! Grr!!!
Hope Suze don´t get cold there....LOL....
Jouko
Never ending Patrick.The technique sounds way too complicated for me,zipped straight over my head..lol...the results are brill though.
This HDr lark sounds fun..all I have to do is take some landscapes..lol
I like the textures here,this is a good sidekick to the prievious one in your pf wih the water higher.
Hope you had your waterwings on...Dangerman..lol
Janet
Mr Smith, your shots never, I repeat NEVER fail to amaze and impress me. Yet another stunning shot that gives off a great sense of depth....where is infinity???
Mike
Thanks for looking! I'm glad you liked it because it was a bit of a squeese getting into this spot.
Ann, I like those bands too. Low tide is the best time to get these sorts of shots. That high tide mark really adds something to it.
Rain Jouko? This is amazing. One of my co-workers used to live a few hundred miles away on the Russian side of the border and it used to get frozen solid over there. Something is really happening. It will be warmer there than here, at least when it is night time here. I got to work and it was +10. Much warmer than at my house. Berkeley is near the 13c water. LOL - The Megsta will be fine. It is very warm where she is. But there is a massive amount of cold air to her west that will eventually reach her.
LOL Janet, the only danger here was squeezing through the pipes and hoping that the rising tide did not trap me in there! HDR really allows you to get shots that normally would be too contrasty. I can't wait to do more.
Mike? LOL - I thought you were 'Mr. Smith' Well Infinity is like.... WAY out there. In this case about 1/2 mile.
Patrick
This is fascinating to stare into! Very well seen and taken indeed. Great colours and textures too.
Ali
It's really amazing how all the columns are perfectly aligned in the shot. It looks like the effect obtained when an image bounces between two mirrors, repeating on and on to infinity. I think you have plenty of dynamic range here. I wouldn't see any use for trying to improve on it.
I like all the repeating patterns along the jetty bottom here - works really well.
Jeanie
edit; was just showing this to Trev and was telling him about your suggestion that I do this here with one of the 3 piers close by -then I realised that to get the water this high in any image I took I would get wet right up to my shoulders! Hee hee!!
Lovely detail tones textures and light and perspective a lovely image.
Pauline.
A very long Pier, it goes on forever Patrick, you've captured some lovely textures and colours in this one.
John
Thanks for looking!
Yes Ali, I like it too because it just goes on and on....
Hi Dennis. I think I may try one with HDR just to see what it can do. Since it is right near work, it will be a good place to experiment when it is low tide at sunrise or sunset.
I like that too Jeanie.
John it is over 1/2 mile long. And then there is another part that has collapsed off from the end of it. You can see ti on my PF page. It was much longer at one point.
Patrick
Almost abstract Patrick, a strange kind of tunnel, reminds me of the entrance to an Egyptian tomb.
Incredible perspective and depth, well worth the perseverance
Malcolm
Truly superb! I'm sure that everything else has been said.
Ken
Truly beautiful Patrick with excellent textures and cracking perspective.
Mark.
Super deminishing perspective, fabulous detail, especially in the larger version.
Dot
Excellent shot Patrick,worth all the effort to get it.
Regards
Clive
Great shot Patrick (as per usual). Now I HAVE been asleep recently so I think I have missed something! This may not be the time or place but WHAT is HDR?! I get the the jist from the comments on here but is there somewhere I can get info on it - it's starting to bug with with the buzz word appearing more and more! I must have missed something somewhere or maybe I was not paying attention in class!
Mark
wow, what a superb image, love the barnacles on the pillars and that milky water...stunning shot....jojo
HDR is high dynamic range. Dynamic range refers to the detail in both shadow and highlights.
Absolutely incredible, Woww what dof, and love the symmetries and linear of the green algae..superb
Nikki
Really eyecatching - draws you right in. WOnderful. Bruce
As with the previous one Patrick, you have lined this up perfectly. My first thought was similar to Chamberlain's first comment (at 18:54). Great preparation and end result.
Nigel
Nice light and textures Patrick, this just goes on and on and .....!
gill
Excellent, the reflections add such dimension and depth, the trick it plays on the eyes is fantastic! Spot on! Click!!!
Greg
Patrick this is a wild view with great depth,color and eye on detail captured!
stay well
and happy new year!
tonymarq
Thanks for your comments!
I'll try an HDR version later. I just did one that turned out very well. And it looked complely natural as I saw it with my eyes.
Patrick
Great shot and detail. Well worth the effort. Happy New Year to you. John
Lets make it 100 shall we. Fabulous shot Patrick, with so much detail. The comp draws you into the shot so well...
Bruce.
Love the colour and lightness in this shot, the strong patterns work well.
Jon
what an amazing shot, and how you suffer for your art, superb imagery
chris
The quality of light is astounding, and there are wonderful diagonals and horizontals here that make you move right into the image.
Allie
One click hardly seems fair. This deserves a dozen.!!
Ron
outstanding composition patrick resulting in this excellent shot, well done.
marc.
Fantastic vanishing point composition here Patrick.
Has a tremendous symmetry to the shot, even though it's not symmetrical!! Bit of a contradiction there but you know what I mean.
Martin
fantastic symmetry here Pat, brilliantly lined up, and i like the long exposure effect on the water around the piers, great colours and lots of detail, another winner.
I too have seen a similar shot from yourself - and feeling neither generous nor non - in fact entirely neutral have decided I like the effect caused by the tide line so...........
click
Dave
Thanks for looking. I'll catch up with the latest uploads soon.
I know what you mean Martin. There is not a straight line anywhere in the shot! But somehow it is symmetrical. I spent quite a while fiddling around with the composition.
Yes Terry, I like how the posts gradually disappear. Wait until you see the Santa Monica Pier. Lots of potential there. But no symmetry.
LOL Dave... Yes, I almost tricked Keith into voting for this one. I should have said it was HDR!
Patrick
looking forward in looking at your HDR images. I also use photomatrix and not pleased with the results anymore...anyway I like this image...
alex
Another great pier shot Patrick, the shadow bars on the water are a little disturbing as they seem to fade and reappear as I look at the scene from slightly differing angles.
MikeA.
A true vanishing point in your shot, leading the eye right to the end of the picture. The tones and colours are splendid as is the clarity.
Hawk
this is really some composition I like the 'vanishing point' effect
its an excllent shot, not something i could produce i fear. but i think your earlier under the pier shot still has the edge on this, perhaps that one was more graphic. i think that the slightly crooked natre of this pier goes against it, though theres nothing you can do about that.
Thanks for your comments.
Hi Alex, it seems to depend on how you bracket the images. I'm working it out now. I'll let you know.
Mike, I'll be doing other versions. We'll see whether the shadows of each piling appear on those versions.
I know what you mean Ian. Everything is off kilter here but somehow the overall effect still came through. But this is not as perfect as the other pier. I do have some other that are, however.
Patrick
Wow, Patrick, What a shot. The pier may be cracked and out of plumb but your shot gives the sense of the structure extending out to infinity. What an effect, especially when viewed large. I look forward to your HDR experiments. Did you ever do any shooting in Long Beach over Christmas break? -=Walter
That's an interesting angle, like it Patrick. Tried took one on New Years day similar but stuffed the exposure badly.
Photomatix for the HDR software, been given a good site address by Dave Hirst (tandberg)
www.petemc.net/hdr-guide/
john
That tide mark reminds that I must clean the bath....LOL
Ade
Thanks for your comments!
Yes Walter, not a straight line in sight! No, I did not get to Long Beach. It is far away from the family in Northridge and on the way to and from San Diego, it was dark! And it always works out that way so I'll have to make a specific trip there. I will get there eventually.
John, these can be difficult, as grads are usually needed in rather unusual angles and the light changes so much that exposure times are difficult to get right. I shot a 10 minute exposure last weekend. It took 30 minutes to get it right. And it was my last chance before complete darkness took over. Thanks for the link. It has lots of good links and other information.
LOL Ade!
Patrick
Wow!What a shot,love the angle and lighting,excellent detail and presentation.
Mo.
I tried to comment on this when you first posted, but the site was having problems or my computer was, and it got bounced. So here goes....Fantastic! You do a great job at these kinds of pictures.
Lisa
S&S, Patrick.....
A wonderful shot, Luv those colours and the depth you've captured, just Beautiful!
Hope you're having a good week....
Suzan
PS: Thanks for the mod.....Great job!
PSS: It's 2°C tonite.....
cracking symetry Patrick,,The lead in thats continous almost creates an effect thats looks misty and yet its not..
Well done
Oh and my image was from one raw file
Dave
Thanks for your comments!
I know what you mean Lisa. I lost a few comments myself.
Suzee, this is the winter with no winter for you guys back east. We are having the coldest one in a long time! And no clouds either in almost a month... during the rainy season??
Thanks for the info Dave.
Thanks Mo, Jim and Phil!
Patrick
This is an ASTOUNDING shot, Patrick. I really love the green algae line going off into the distance. LARGE has even more mussel
Andrew
This is an ASTOUNDING shot, Patrick. I really love the green algae line going off into the distance. LARGE has even more mussel
Andrew
Thanks Cat, Andrew and lol ...Andrew!
LOL - Rebecca, I think you must be on the wrong page!
Patrick
The perspective makes this for me, I find the atmosphere a little gloomy and perhaps a touch claustrophobic. I like how you have lined the high tide mark at eye level, it adds another dimension to the sense of distance and speed of travel between the piers.
I am looking forward to seeing your HDR in the near future.
Simon
Great viewpoint - I like the symmetry, vanishing lines, repeats and detail ...
Susie :o)
great shot, this gives you the feel that the camera is half above and have below water. very neat.
I love the long exposure effect you've captured here in the water.
Gives the appearance of an endless tunnel Patrick.The watermark makes a strange split across the pic. like it though.
Brian.
The watermark does it for me - it's so hypnotic! This is wonderful Patrick. It's almost like one of those double-mirror shots that repeats and repeats until you can't work out where you started. I've enjoyed visiting your p/f many times and find it totally absorbing. Many thanks, Howard.
Thanks for your comments!
Yes simon. It was rather cramped in there, so that makes sense.
Thanks Howard. It is like how you described. I get a little dizzy looking at it.
Patrick
Hello???? where are all the comments for this shot?
185 clicks and no comments? well something is wrong here!
I took a HDR of under a pier much like this one, it turned out to be my most voted and viewed image, a modest figure compared to yours but I'm satisfied with it.
LOL Luis - Maybe nobody liked it.
I think this is a record!
Patrick
AHA! I see they are back! I'm happy I am not alone anymore
was it me that alerted you to this?
Yes, I had no idea! I have not been around much since the new version came out. I still haven't checked the other ones yet but I will.
Thanks,
Patrick
Hi Patrick make sure you do not eat before low tide next time you could get stuck , ---LOL--------------------------
---------------------------------squeeze -------------------
Great picture well done
Doug
Great picture...keep posting long comments with your pictures...it helps us so much understand the technique behind such brilliant shots...
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