Walking the bridge Photo

Photographer’s Note

People are climbing Brisbane's Story Bridge.

Story Bridge opened in 1940 and is a vehicle and pedestrian cantilever bridge crossing the Brisbane River and connecting the suburbs of Fortitude Valley and Kangaroo Point in central Brisbane.

These Story Bridge climbs began operating in 2005 and have become a popular tourist attraction. You climb to a height of 80metres above sea level and from here you can get 360degree views of Brisbane, the river and the surrounding hills. The climb takes 2.5hours including a commentary which you hear via a radio headset. Safety is a huge issue and as well as wearing a special climb suit you wear a belt harness which is attached via a lanyard to a bridge safety cable for the duration of the climb. No loose objects such as cameras can be carried.

The Story Bridge climb is 1 of only 3 licensed bridge climbs in the world. The other 2 are also in Australasia - the Sydney Harbour Bridge and Auckland Harbour Bridge.

This photo was taken just half an hour before my earlier posting of the Story Bridge at sunset.

fanni, liquid_sk, jalab_temen, boa, holmertz, Kielia, ChrisJ has marked this note useful

Critiques | Translate

fanni (8735) 2009-03-19 3:36

Hello Marlene,
both the photo and a very interesting Note make one whole impressive picture! For me, this is rather an unusual sight! Very curiously shaped bridge... and 80 meters is very high!

In Stockolm there is a "Free Fall Tower" in the Tivoli attractions park, but I have never got a chance to take a "ride" downwards! only from 56 meters high Catapult (up and down). I have also been to Moscow Ostankino TV tower, looking at the city from the height of 300 meters.. So I can imagine how the city looks like from 80 meters!

This photo is really "in the spirit of TE" :)
If only I happen to visit Australia one day I MUST vitis this bridge! I wonder if people make wishes while walking along the bridge? ;)
Kindest regards,
Elena

delpeoples (5892) 2009-03-20 2:18

HI Marlene, this is a fantastic daily life shot and provides excellent information for the would-be tourist. (I never knew they were doing climbs on the Story Bridge!). I like the POV with all the modern buildings in the BG, they provide a great complement to the modern structure of the bridge and also give us an idea of scale in comparison to the little climbers. TFs and have a great weekend, Lisa.

jalab_temen (1945) 2009-03-20 3:33

Marlene, this graphic compo about the object full of steel is very good. The people like ants act in this huge steel-jungle. TFS, Jalab

wolf38 (12728) 2009-03-20 23:28

Hello Marlene. Modern world. Houses, steel, - and one finally discovers the small people on the bridge. A contrast, and fits nevertheless somehow everything in the best way. Worth seeing. Best regards, Wolfgang.

boa (1312) 2009-03-21 13:29

Hi Marlene,
wow..what a cool bridge..the view from there must be amazing !
I like the compact feeling in this photo, it feels almost as if the bridge is part of the nearby houses.Great note too !
I would like to see some more of the roof of the house in the background, but thats only a small detail. Well done Marlene!
Best regards from Sweden
Boa

macondo (13075) 2009-03-21 23:47

Hi Marlene.
This is something I don't think I will ever be doing. I think this is the closest-up I've seen bridge climbers in a photo. You did a pretty good, well focused and sharp shot with your 200mm focal length. I like the graphical effect of the buildings and the bridge's lines, and the light you captured, but the idea of being up there myself gives me vertigo!
Regards,
Andrew

holmertz (9586) 2009-03-22 3:50

Hello Marlene,
Oh, this bridge again... I would never consider climbing it, but it certainly makes for good pictures, especially the tiny silhouettes of people against the sky. Along with the large buildings we also get a piece of an interesting cityscape.
Kind regards,
Gert

Kielia (8401) 2009-03-22 8:40

Hi Marlene,
it is the fantastic perspective that makes this image very unusual and attractive. Excellent photo work and a very interesting note. TFS!
Warm regards
Harriet

kschanna (2634) 2009-03-26 2:15

Hello Marlene

You've chosen a good elevated PoV and a suiting tight crop. i think its convey's the grandeur of the structures.

thanks for sharing
Kamran

jmdias (19115) 2009-04-03 17:26

marlene

interesting view with the people-ant in the top of the bridge, this isn't an usual image. I liked the contrast with the buildings ahead. I would like to cut the image, making it more panoramic, anyway there are lots of possibilities about new framings here., nice job

hugs

jorge

ChrisJ (70125) 2009-05-13 0:59

Hi Marlene

Thankyou for posting this. Past internet searches of the Storey Bridge climb, have not been very successful, in finding good large size images, such as this. Well done!