This picture has been a long time coming, about 40 years. I have never photographed this trestle bridge in a manner that I liked, until this time.
I have tried with 35mm with various focal lengths, a 6x6 TLR with one focal length, then finally, this, with a 65mm super wide angle on 4x5”. For some reason, it jells with me.
I nearly didn’t get what I was after, did all the right things, visited in summer with great sunny weather, and came back the next morning, when the tide was right for the amount of water under the trestles. But, as often happens on the ocean, a foggy cloudy morning, exactly when I wanted the light and shadows.
Finally a glimmer of sunlight at the exact same time as I heard people coming round the bend, took the shot there and then. Five minutes later the light was stronger and more even, but with a bus load of people crawling all over the place, I considered myself lucky.
I did have another shot with a 150mm lens, but even with being further back, the angle just wasn’t right. Previously I had been in the same place (angle wise) with the same camera with a 90mm. Even though I was further back, it didn’t do anything for me.
I am now coming to terms with what I can and cannot do with the 65mm, taken me a bit of time. At first I was thinking I had bought a lens I couldn’t like, until I got the centre filter that is, from then on, it has been all go.
FP4+, Shen Hao 4x5” Fujinon 65 SWD, centre filter.
Mick.