I recently traveled to California for the assignment of
filming the new construction of the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge. The new
east span is the largest suspension bridge in the world as was built on the
premise of public safety in the event of an earth shattering earthquake
occurring again. The current (Original) bridge buckled and a section collapsed
after the last major earthquake struck years ago.
This new structure is built of hollowed out steel sections
that are joined together, almost like a large train, but with the girth of an
aircraft carrier….a total of 5 lanes wide with a bike path and hi-tech LED
lighting fixtures.
This particular assignment was for me to capture the build and
archive the way the structure is connected, both above and below the bridge.
Entering through the roadway was almost like climbing down into a manhole in a
major city street. The backpack and the
two cameras I carried over my shoulder made the entry very difficult, with a
very narrow steel ladder to climb down.
Once in the structure, I quickly noticed that each section
was lit by the orange halogen bulbs, and the air was thick with various gasses
and welders smoke. The hollowness of the
steel made the construction work above sound like I was in a motorized subway, hum
after hum followed by the never ending buzz of electric lines over my head. To
describe it would be like the sound of a stirred up bees nest in your attic.
The steel walkway that went down the center of the aisle was
still cluttered with nuts, bolts and boxes of steel connectors.
After assessing the scene, and with no tripod for long
exposure shots, I decided that an onboard flash would be the only lighting I
could use. I snapped shots, then moved on down the walkway, capturing images as
we went. The hard helmet I was required
to wear was surely needed, as hidden steel rods and corners protruded every 20
yards. The whole setup reminded me of
setting strobes in the rafters at an arena, above an NBA basketball game, only
much darker and confined.
The highlight of this adventure was gaining access to the
never before filmed “Splay Chamber”. This is where all the cables that support
the bridge meet, and connect, to hold the bridge up over the bay. I was allowed
about 5 minutes to spray this area and boy did I. These photos will one day be
worth their weight in gold, and I was so lucky and thankful for the opportunity
as this area has now been deemed off limits. (Due to the construction controversy
of bad steel rods and the recent discovery of cracked bolts installed in
various locations on the new structure).
After a hot hour exploring underground…..it was time to go back
up to the main deck.
The workers in their orange vests were scurrying around
pretty quickly and the guys on the wires, high above, were doing their jobs as
if they still had their boots on the ground. They were all tethered in, with a
giant crane dropping materials, and these were some of my favorite images to
capture. The workers blasting with the blowtorches made for some very artsy
looks as well.
Once done on the bridge itself, we were brought to the
marina area and boarded a boat to float on and shoot under the new span of the
bridge. The weather was less than ideal with a grey and white sky, which caused
my photos to look as if they were shot in black and white, but the experience
was so surreal, and authentic, and we all know that you cant change the
weather! .We floated the entire length of the new span, both under and around
the new structure. The Bridge Media Liason, Andrew, was a true professional and
was one of the most patient and accommodating media reps I have ever dealt
with, a true professional who knows how to get play for his project. My
producer on the job was local, Linnea Edmeier, and many thanks to my Editor
Doug Benc at Associated Press.
Currently there are over 300 images posted on the Associated
Press Website as well as my Photoshelter site, found here:
http://alexmenendez.photoshelter.com/gallery/Bay-Bridge-Construction/G0000hSARCVr0MkM/
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