night photography

[tim_in_texas]

I am wondering if anyone knows of good spots where I can safely shoot nightime freeway shots in Tarrant County. I'd ask about Dallas County, but I'm not as familiar with Dallas as I am with Fort Worth.

The spot also needs to be at least half way accessable. I'm talking about long exposure/slow shutter speed type stuff. Let me know if you have anything in mind. Thanks.

[ShutteredEye]

Originally Posted by tim_in_texas

I am wondering if anyone knows of good spots where I can safely shoot nightime freeway shots in Tarrant County. I'd ask about Dallas County, but I'm not as familiar with Dallas as I am with Fort Worth.

The spot also needs to be at least half way accessable. I'm talking about long exposure/slow shutter speed type stuff. Let me know if you have anything in mind. Thanks.

How about from the Summit Ave bridge over 30 just west of down town?

[Hogleg 44]

Probably just about any overpass with a sidewalk! Cops do it with Radar Guns...why not you with a camera? I saw one on John T White/East 820 once sitting up there in a lawn chair shooting his radar gun!
Might try Bridge Street on the South side of I-30 in the Woodhaven area of E Ft worth.

[AndrewCCM]

Course Police usually don't do it at night and they even have a gun...LOL

Just be careful the part of town. Summit bridge might be safer than Bridge St. in the middle of the night. I used to live (when I was in college) over off Bridge and I30.. That place is not safe at night. Heck people were getting mugged over at Meadowbrook golf course in the middle of the day...Ugh

Good luck!

[kowboi69]

You can stand on the overpass of Cummings St. over 360 near I-20 for a great view
of the 360 and I-20 mixmaster.

http://groups.google.com/maps?hl=en&...X+75052&zoom=2

I'll post a shot from many years back I took from this bridge later when I have access to it.

[TxManx]

I was SO disappointed when they took the southbound ramp from I-20 to I35W and made it two lane...

I wasn't shooting back then, but now when I see it, all I see is a completely missed opportunity...you could get all four directions from one spot...

Of course, it's way too dangerous to do it now...unless you have someone help you by parking a couple hundred feet further down the ramp with hazards on to keep people out of the lane...

Another thought is that to the south-east of that ramp is a huge hill under development...you might be able to get up there pre-dark and setup...

Ken

[tim_in_texas]

I wouldn't mind I-20 and I-35W, but I grew up around that area and it ain't that safe during the day. I wouldn't even try night time.

My favorite spot so far is the Cummings St. overpass near 360 near I-20. There is incredible potential there. My problem is that I have a point-and-shoot prosumer camera with a shutter speed limit of 15 seconds. I need a dSLR with a Bulb mode so I can get longer exposures and brighter more consistant traffic lights.

I'll keep looking though.

[mivy00]

you can shoot from the South East corner of I35 and I20 .... there is a big sign on a hill requesting fill dirt. I used to 4 wheel drive up that hill and park and watch the traffic.... you may not be able to 4 wheel up anymore but you can park on the service road and walk up easy enough

[epoh]

I don't recommend the Bridge St overpass. I live near there and there are kids that race around at night there.. wouldn't want anyone to get hurt!

South fort worth might be a bit safer (montgomery st overpass), but there's not a lot of traffic at night.

[tim_in_texas]

I found two different places for traffic photography that are ideal.

1. The Arlington Heights H.S. crosswalk over I-30 between Hulen St. and Ashland Ave. in Fort Worth. This spot is nearly perfect. It's in a safe neighborhood. There is ample parking in the Central Market shopping center at the corner of Hulen and I-30 and the walk to the bridge isn't far. The crosswalk is strictly for foot traffic. There is plenty of traffic even late at night. The only fault is that the crosswalk is caged, literally. Fence on both sides and on top, I guess to keep the high school students from themselves or throwing stuff on the freeway. I don't know about different lenses, but I was able to position my camera through the wire fence to get some decent shots. Even with the limitations of my camera I still did alright.

2. US 287 & the Russell-Curry Rd. Overpass in Mansfield. This isn't quite as good as the other spot, but it has it's advantages. It's in a rural area so a lot less cars driving by. The downside to that is there is also less traffic on the highway. There are fewer lights so the lights on the cars show up a lot better. There is no fence to contend with and the shoulders on the bridge are very wide. Parking...well there is none so you'll have to improvise on that one.

I've also tried the I-20/360 interchange. Like I said before, there is plenty of potential there. My camera limits me to 15 seconds of exposure. I am having to rely on my timing with the flow of traffic for goods shots right now. If I had a dSLR with a Bulb mode and a remote shutter release I would actually be able to try more places than I can now.

Keep those suggestions coming.