I can't believe we are halfway through July already! In June, I walked to the Surf City swingebridge with all my gear and tripod for some long exposure love for this iconic classic, and am just now getting around to sharing! 

This image was shot with a 20mm lens at f10 for 3 seconds and ISO 100. As cars drive over the bridge the entire bridge moves about half a foot (similar to when a car enters a ferry boat, and the weight distribution shits from the ramp to boat), so taking a long exposure while actually on the bridge isn't feasible, unless there is no traffic whatsoever. It moves too much when cars pass through. My tripod was set up on the sidewalk (island side) just as it meets the bridge. 

There is a lot of sentimentality about the Topsail Island Swingbridge...it really is a cool old bridge! My kids love it, and have a little wooden railroad swingbridge to match it! I've been traveling over the swingbridge my entire life, just not on a daily basis until the last 4 years. In vacation mode, the opening of the bridge can be bothersome, traffic backups are always frustrating, but not usually too much of a big deal. In everyday life, when you are trying to get to the bank before it closes and the bridge gets stuck open for 3 hours....well that is another matter entirely. Yesterday the bridge caught us twice! It made us pretty late to my kids' Dentist appointment (Seaside Dental Center in Surf City is great!). Even though I know better than to try to cross on the hour--Sometimes putting on shoes, and socks, and pants, and then walking, is hard for a five year old! Well, after teeth cleaning times three, and the all-important toy box prize, then we got stuck again! Such is life. We'll miss the old bridge, but I won't miss worrying if I am going to make it to the post office before it closes because of bridge openings!

I am going to make time for some daytime photo love too, this old timer won't be around much longer!