FPL Power Plant Smokestack Explosion

Jun 19, 2011 | Architecture & Buildings

[youtube]Q1z45AzWBhs[/youtube]This power plant owned by Florida Power and Light (FPL), the big energy company in Florida, blew-up their old smokestack. These two red and white towers was a visible landmark for Riviera Beach for nearly 5 decades. This morning FPL imploded them to make way for new smokestack towers for their energy facility.

I wasn’t expecting this event to be so cool. The lighting was perfect and the boat captain drove us directly in front of the explosion. I was thinking the captain was going to drop everyone off on Peanut Island, which was much further away!

I’m certainly glad I brought my camcorder along for this shoot… pictures can’t tell a story like this a well as video can!

All four photos are single exposure HDR images processed using Photomatix. As most of you know I prefer to process my RAW files using Photomatix instead of Photoshop. I find that I get way more detail and color than anything Photoshop is capable of doing. However I still use Photoshop to finish off my images to make them perfect.

Maybe one of these days I’ll do a book just on single exposure HDR. Of course I have to finish my HDR Portrait e-book first! Not to worry… it’s actually almost done. That’s right, the HDR Portrait e-book should be available sometime this week!

Learn Captain Kimo’s HDR techniques with his e-book…
“Secrets to Mastering HDR Photography”

Software I use for processing my photos:
Photomatix – Used for creating high dynamic range.
Topaz Adjust – Photoshop plugin used to enhance details.
Topaz DeNoise – Photoshop plugin used to eliminate noise.
Topaz CleanPhotoshop plugin used to smooth pixels.
Topaz SimplifyPhotoshop plugin used for artistic affect.

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Photography Style: Single Exposure HDR
Digital Camera Used: Canon 5D Mark2
Lens Used: Canon 100-400mm f/5.6L USM
Photo Location: FPL Power Plant, Riviera Beach, Florida