Short bridge, wide river

A long lens view (35 mm equivalent about 400mm) “foreshortens” (that’s the artist’s term for a proportional squeeze) the Mississippi River Bridge at Helena, Arkansas late in the day September 28, 2014.

Click the pic and go to Elaine, Arkansas for a fine Delta Sunset at Corndancer dot-com.

I can tell you from experience that the bridge you see is substantially wider than the camera renders it. The camera and yours truly are in Arkansas. The trees you see in the lower background are in Mississippi. In between (barely visible in the picture) is Ol’ Muddy, The Mighty Mississippi River. At this point in its long stretch from Minnesota to the Gulf of Mexico, it is “right wide.”

Several years ago,  a tow boat pilot mistakenly steered his barges into the bridge on the Arkansas side. Officials closed the bridge for repairs to general traffic, but set up shuttle buses to take people across the bridge (there’s a casino at the Mississippi end). They also allowed people to walk across the bridge. Believing this would be the single chance in my lifetime to walk across the Mississippi River, I hoofed it. It was a great experience that few others have enjoyed. That was way back in the film days.

You are seeing but one picture this week. I returned from the picture/info gathering foray about 9:30 p.m. this evening, far too late to begin previewing 1,100 plus images from the day′s shoot. So you get this one. Come back next week for the regular dose of images and verbiage. Before you split, be sure and check out “Evening in Elaine,” a look at the small Delta town bathed in a fine sunset. Check it out on the Photo of the Week page at Corndancer dot-com.

Thanks for dropping by,

Joe Dempsey,
Weekly Grist for the Eyes and Mind

http://www.joedempseycommunications.com/
http://www.joedempseyphoto.com/
http://www.corndancer.com/joephoto/photohome.html

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