Cedar Creek Bridge

Technically very good -- you have detail in the dark wood under the roof and in the daylight outside. Other than that is is a 'Record Photo' of that type of bridge -- nothing 'Pictorial' about it.

Wow!
This is great mr Silver. I disagree with Pete, I find it quite pictorial, very dramatic in wide view, you capture the insides of the bridge. The road fills the bottom of the picture and continues through the picture.
Perhaps you could be a little more to the left to get more of the bend in the road? The road takes you somewhere, makes it a picture.
Love the camera angle.
This would work well in VDB.

You nailed the exposure here - great details under roofed part the and outside. I like your composition as well. Like awty said above - pointing the lens a little to the left could be nice.

I agree with Pete. It is technically very well done but somehow awkward as a picture especially with the tilt of the camera upwards. Clearly this was done to show the roof but it ends up as being neither one nor t'other. I like this type of bridge having seen medieval examples in Germany, Austria and Switzerland. They are not easy to photograph.

Gents, Thank you. I appreciate the points about not being easy subjects - its not my first time at this bridge, and there are few covered bridges around. Add that there are sharp bends in the road on both sides, and there's almost no opportunity to show where the road goes. Advancing further inside the bridge would make the bend in the road more explicit.
'Sure appreciate your kind help.

Some photographs, like some women, seem to exist only for beauty. This photograph conveys information rarely seen in covered bridge photos. That is valuable to us who enjoy such increasingly rare examples of American history. Ansel Adams might have produced a prettier photo, but with less information in the fascinating details.

HiHoSilver,

I like this view (and the opportunity to improve), and as others have said you nailed the exposure. Having shot covered bridges around here, I know how difficult it is to do that from this perspective. It reminds me of a recent thread on the forum: "There's a picture in there, you just have to find it."

There can be fun in a shared challenge, and in that spirit I can toss out some ideas: Maybe it would benefit from being shot in color? The structure would look roughly the same, and a green foliage (maybe when overcast) would further differentiate between the background and foreground. You could also move the camera forward a few feet and shoot with a slightly shorter focal length lens, to not cut off the road and still maintain the same in-bridge perspective. If shooting in color, select a film with a muted response... like Rollei CR200. That way the foliage doesn't stand out.. it just differentiates further. A flash might help to fill out. If it were overcast, you'll lose some of the illumination inside the bridge, so a bright and probably diffuse flash to fill in the structure to the point where it's lighter than outside might help focus attention on the structure. I think this advice would still apply even if you stuck with B&W. However, if you're going to photograph the road as a path, then you could set up a shot from outside the bridge. The subject here is really the structure, so improve the emphasis on the structure and keep the information in the details as Jim Jones points out!

Very interesting and challenging type of shot. It speaks volumes that you are trying to tackle it.

Trail, I appreciate your sharing your thinking & kindness. Its a place where Nodda nails it - there's a picture in there...

Jim - Thank you. I share the interest in the detail. When able to make the detail pretty, I'm most happy. Your taking the time to look and write is most appreciated. Saying more would only repeat that appreciation.

Nodda, also big thanks. I easily get tunnel vision when I'm trying to find the 'picture in there'. I never even thought of color (and had 4 rolls in the bag). 'Couldn't agree more about a muted color palette. I've reached for Portra in the past. Its affordable for the student shooter. The way color would convey further depth - visible only through side and far end openings would help. 'Would also clarify the sharp bend in the road at the end.

'Hard to say how much each of your thoughts help. As it turns out - the shooting stopped shortly after this was taken, w/ the 'blad still mounted on closed tripod sliding off the bag, landing on a rock & sending the film advance crank into parts unknown. Sigh. Part of traipsing over rocky creek bed to get a perspective on the grist mill.

Very sorry to hear about your accident. Never advisable to have a camera mounted on a tripod except when the tripod is set up. It's too easy for the camera to part company with the tripod or get whacked on something. I have learnt this from bitter experience.....