[KenCo1964]

The Hownsgill Viaduct (The Gill Bridge) was constructed in 1857 and spans 700ft across a ravine, it is made up of almost 3 million white fire bricks and stands 175ft tall weighing approximately 12,0000 tonnes. It has 12 arches each with a 50ft span and at a total cost of £12,500 to build. It was Thomas Bouch an engineer who was given the tender and later knighted by Queen Victoria during his career but later ended his life in disgrace after the collapse of his greatest achievement The Tay Bridge. Before the viaduct was built the rail journey had been interrupted by this ravine and freight had to be taken across it on wagons which were lowered and raised by means of a stationary steam haulage engine.
Now, part of the Derwent walk it is still used by cyclists and walkers crossing the ravine and more notably a place were people in dispair take there lives, Most recent that of a mother and her child. Because of the suicide activity at this bridge, it has gained a reputation with those down on there luck and, used as a term for feeling low, out of luck and as an insult, a place to go and jump.
I have been here many times as a kid, infact my parents owned a public house namely The North Eastern Hotel a few miles down the track. As kids we were always led to believe that the red crosses painted in places on the bridge, were marks where people had fallen whilst working on the building of this, I still don’t know for sure but feel it was just a childs imaginative story.


Thanks for looking.
C&C welcome.
Ken.
PS. It just goes to show that weeds will grow anywhere!

[stepheno]

Super shot Ken - at first (optical illusion?) I thought I was looking down at the sea and then it came through as a cloudy sky. I'm not sure yet if I think the small trees add or detract from the shot

Anyway - I enjoyed the potted history as well. Thanks for that and for showing.

regards

[CT]

Interesting post Ken.

I really like the shot, but it's let down by those processing halos around the viaduct. Dead easy to fix with the freehand mask tool and the clone tool if you don't feel like processing it again. Your processing is really coming on but you need to pay attention to the finishing touches.

[KenCo1964]

Originally Posted by stepheno

Super shot Ken - at first (optical illusion?) I thought I was looking down at the sea and then it came through as a cloudy sky. I'm not sure yet if I think the small trees add or detract from the shot

Anyway - I enjoyed the potted history as well. Thanks for that and for showing.

regards

Thanks Stepheno, regards the trees, just a little to high for pruning. (joke)

Originally Posted by CT

but it's let down by those processing halos around the viaduct

Eyes like a hawk CT, you have. Became noticeable after shadow and highlight. I will have another go later, when I get time and exchange for this pic. Maybe even try the clone tool as suggested, may be easiest.
Thanks again.

[CT]

Here's the technique to sort it by cloning Ken.



Take the image in manageable bits and just draw masks up to the edge of the viaduct as I have here. Set the clone tool fairly small and just clone from inside your mask up to the edge of the mask, cloning from as close to the edge the mask as possible to keep the tones the same. Don't forget to save it as you finish each mask. You'll be surprised how quick this is once you get the hang of it.

You'll see where I've done some cloning on the right hand side to show the difference it makes.

[KenCo1964]

Originally Posted by CT

Here's the technique to sort it by cloning Ken.

Thanks again CT. May have to invest in a graphics tab soon, as I just use a mouse which isn't really suitable for such work. You've done a great job and while i'm up there I'll prune those bushes.

[CT]

I like the bushes.

I wouldn't waste your money on a graphics tablet, I have one and hardly ever use it. They're great for some operations, like pushing pixels around with smear type tools and painting style work. I'd imagine graphic designer types would find them a godsend. With a tablet, you can of course vary the pressure to get a light or heavy result , but with a mouse you can vary the opacity of the tool you're using anyway for the same result.

For drawing masks a mouse is a very stable platform for clicking around awkward shapes and curves - the same job is almost impossible with a tablet.

The more you practice with the mouse, the better you get at it, and it's a pretty incredible tool.

With the money you save on not buying a tablet, get a Microsoft optical mouse (no ball). It will be money well spent when it comes to tackling these jobs.

[KenCo1964]

Originally Posted by CT

I like the bushes. .

I'll get you a cutting next time i'm there

Originally Posted by CT

For drawing masks a mouse is a very stable platform for clicking around awkward shapes and curves - the same job is almost impossible with a tablet.

Did not think that was the case, live and learn.

Originally Posted by CT

With the money you save on not buying a tablet, get a Microsoft optical mouse (no ball). It will be money well spent when it comes to tackling these jobs.

I have always hated these with a passion, after using a standard mouse for so many years the optical mouse just seem so difficult to get used too. BUT I will take your advice and purchase one. The space I will save on wheeling my mouse across the desk means I can file more junk on top of it.

[CT]

These are the ones I use Ken.


I used to get through 2 or 3 of these a year, but I was a really heavy user. Usually the left click button would be totally knackered.

Coupled with a decent mouse mat (Not too smooth - get one with a little nap) these meeces is the best IMO. Conventional meeces with a ball are a nightmare - constantly picking up hairs and bits of crap which make them very innacurate to use and you're cleaning the ball all the time.

I'll be very surprised if you're not impressed once you've tried one.

[KenCo1964]

Originally Posted by CT

These are the ones I use Ken.

Sorry Ct. I was getting mixed up with the ones with a ball only at the top, you don't move the mouse just the ball. So hard to use IMO. after having been used to the normal ones.

[CT]

Sheesh - those are crap!

[SammyC]

Originally Posted by KenCo1964

It was Thomas Bouch an engineer who was given the tender and later knighted by Queen Victoria during his career but later ended his life in disgrace after the collapse of his greatest achievement The Tay Bridge.

Which is where the term a botch (Bouch) job comes from I think.

[stepheno]

Well - we live and learn, thanks Sammy.

regards

[KenCo1964]

The original image has now had the halo and bushes cloned out, it was actually the sharpening that caused it and not the shadow and highlight which I originally thought, as when I was sharpening with save for web they reappeared. Thanks Ct for your help.

Originally Posted by SammyC

Which is where the term a botch (Bouch) job comes from I think.

Plausable but, after a brief search I found this
Botch a job
Meaning: Repair badly.
Example: "Don't botch this job - you've only got one chance for your parachute to open."
Origin: In old England, bodgers were peasant chairmakers. They produced, by traditional handicraft methods, simple and serviceable objects. When chairmaking was transformed into high art, the bodger was correspondingly downgraded to 'bodge' or 'botch,' which came to mean an item or service of poor quality.

[SammyC]

Ah, but my info came from TV so it must be true.

[Matty]

so, back to the topic

Fine picture

off topic again

I have a samsung optical mouse which i have had for over a year, and it only cost £3 at The Computer World...

[DerekTKing]

I like this image very much and I think it is fine as it is. Some times the image is enough in its self.

Originally Posted by KenCo1964

The Hownsgill Viaduct (The Gill Bridge) was constructed in 1857 and spans 700ft across a ravine, it is made up of almost 3 million white fire bricks and stands 175ft tall weighing approximately 12,0000 tonnes. It has 12 arches each with a 50ft span and at a total cost of £12,500 to build. It was Thomas Bouch an engineer who was given the tender and later knighted by Queen Victoria during his career but later ended his life in disgrace after the collapse of his greatest achievement The Tay Bridge. Before the viaduct was built the rail journey had been interrupted by this ravine and freight had to be taken across it on wagons which were lowered and raised by means of a stationary steam haulage engine.
Now, part of the Derwent walk it is still used by cyclists and walkers crossing the ravine and more notably a place were people in dispair take there lives, Most recent that of a mother and her child. Because of the suicide activity at this bridge, it has gained a reputation with those down on there luck and, used as a term for feeling low, out of luck and as an insult, a place to go and jump.
I have been here many times as a kid, infact my parents owned a public house namely The North Eastern Hotel a few miles down the track. As kids we were always led to believe that the red crosses painted in places on the bridge, were marks where people had fallen whilst working on the building of this, I still don’t know for sure but feel it was just a childs imaginative story.


Thanks for looking.
C&C welcome.
Ken.
PS. It just goes to show that weeds will grow anywhere!