Woodward Tribute, Pontiac
The second Woodward Tribute is located in Pontiac, Michigan near the north end of Woodward Avenue. When the installation was finished in the late summer of 2010, the landscaping surrounding the tower was bare dirt and burnt grass. Because of the lack of funds for landscaping, we weren’t sure if waiting until spring of 2011 would improve the situation.
Colori & Vanden-Eynden wanted to submit the project for an awards show with a deadline in late January 2011 so we decided to go ahead and photograph the tower after a fresh snowfall. Since the Detroit area received a near record snowfall during the 2010/2011 winter, scheduling the photography was easy. Short winter days also made the photography a little easier. Producing sunlit and twilight photographs in the summer can result in some very long days! The cold was a significant challenge on the day that I chose to shoot. Even in the mid-day sun the high reached only 18 degrees (F). In the evening the temperature dropped to near single digits. Because of the lack of dexterity with mittens, I use gloves with a Thinsulate lining. They are fairly thin and yet do a pretty good job of keeping my fingers warm. It’s really nice to be able to use the camera controls without having to remove my gloves.
Colori & Vanden-Eynden wanted to submit the project for an awards show with a deadline in late January 2011 so we decided to go ahead and photograph the tower after a fresh snowfall. Since the Detroit area received a near record snowfall during the 2010/2011 winter, scheduling the photography was easy. Short winter days also made the photography a little easier. Producing sunlit and twilight photographs in the summer can result in some very long days! The cold was a significant challenge on the day that I chose to shoot. Even in the mid-day sun the high reached only 18 degrees (F). In the evening the temperature dropped to near single digits. Because of the lack of dexterity with mittens, I use gloves with a Thinsulate lining. They are fairly thin and yet do a pretty good job of keeping my fingers warm. It’s really nice to be able to use the camera controls without having to remove my gloves.
As with the first Woodward Tribute, I needed to illuminate the base of the tower with portable flash for the night shots. Cold temperatures will cause battery powered flash units to recycle slower than normal so I made sure that the battery pack had a full charge and kept it warm in the car until ready to use. The finished twilight photos are composites of 10+ different images; sky, snow covered ground, illuminated tower, flash illuminated base and several captures of traffic.
While photos such as these are not difficult to produce, they do require some planning and the right equipment. A solid tripod and a radio transmitter to trigger the camera from a distance were invaluable! http://www.claytonstudio.com Follow me on Twitter
Posted by Curt Clayton at 3/7/2011 9:35 AM 
Categories: lighting for exterior photography, Architectural photography, Twilight photography
Tags: Night photography Architectural Photography twilight photography
Categories: lighting for exterior photography, Architectural photography, Twilight photography
Tags: Night photography Architectural Photography twilight photography
Great work as always. You said you used portable flashes to light the base of the tower. Did you have to put these in the shot and photoshop them out later? I guess you would have had foot prints in the snow to remove as well if you did this. I really like the snow. It's so rare to see snow in architectural photos, and I think the white landscape complements the white tower.
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I was actually standing in the shot holding the flash unit, using a wireless remote to trigger the camera. One exposure for the left side and another for the right side. These were the last shots that I did so the footprints weren't a problem. Using "Layers" in Photoshop, I painted in the flash-lit base sections. As long as the camera does not move from one capture to the next, this is a simple process.
Thanks fro reading and commenting!! Curt Clayton Clayton Studio
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Although it definitely sounds as if the environmental conditions were less than desirable during your shoot, taking the photo on the day you did definitely resulted in another fantastic photograph of the "Woodward Tribute"! Plus, the snow took care of the landscape-related issues and you were able to meet the deadline of Colori & Vanden-Eynden.
I think the snow definitely adds to the overall ambiance of the photo as it provides an ethereal glow. Lastly, I really like the "ribbons" of headlights and taillights resulting from the long exposure time.
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Thank very much for responding, I appreciate hearing your comments. Usually we wait until nice weather for architectural photography, but I was very happy with the results of these photos in the snow! Curt Clayton
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