A group of friends and I decided to photograph the sunset at the Wrights-Ferry Bridge located in Lancaster County Pennsylvania. This was my first time seeing this bridge, and I was instantly impressed by its size and graphical elements. I knew I wanted to isolate the bridge in a black and white presentation helping to eliminate the distraction of color while emphasizing the design elements.
I needed to limit the interference of the rushing water, having my eye focus on the bridge, giving the viewer a sense of clarity in the moment. For this to happen, I knew immediately I needed my Hoya Solas IRND filter. These Hoya filters are designed to evenly suppress IR across red, near-IR and IR areas of the spectrum to avoid any spectrum spikes that can add a color cast to the image which would muddy the black and whites of the image. I used a 10-stop IRND filter. When using a 10-stop filter, my shutter speed is generally greater than 30 seconds, so I’m normally shooting on the bulb. I genuinely enjoy working with this filter because it allows me to have a greater sense of freedom while bringing a new element to my photography. The SOLAS series maintains a neutral color balance that is matched in every density range. This filter helps to push my creativity to a whole new level.
Before Image
After Image
The exposure for the after the image is 5 minutes in bulb mode with an aperture of F8, ISO 64 and focal length of 32mm.
This image reminds me to be still, be patient and be bold creatively when working with longer exposure.
~ Bobbi Petherick
Bobbi is a loyal user and contributor for Hoya Filter USA. Please check out her work at www.bobbipetherick.com and on Instagram at @ms_bobbi_photo