Discussion: Bridges of the World July 2026 (page 3 of 18)

For me, modern bridges (often metal ones) are, of course, essential structures—just like high-voltage power lines, wind turbines, highways, or skyscrapers. They’re also the result of technical feats, like the Millau Viaduct. But I find them ugly; they don’t blend in with their natural surroundings. I’d never think to take a photo of that kind of bridge.

Really? Even the one in Envallis? [;]

Garabit Viaduct

Pelješac Bridge, Croatia

Air bridge, Bambouseraie de Prafrance, Cévennes

You won’t be surprised to hear that my favorite bridges are the ones that span a border... even if they’re ugly.

Paraguay-Brazil Sweden-Denmark And even more impressive, a bridge that separates two continents! Panama

If you zoom in, I think I can just about spot you on the other side of the bay taking your first photo!

Another bridge spanning a border:

Viaduc de Garabit

A massive structure!

There was a bridge, and now there’s nothing left (show me your bridges, I’ll tell you your GDP): Northern Mozambique.

Anyway, it's not the bridge itself that's being voted on, but the way it's photographed...

So, it's better to post an "ugly" bridge that's the subject of a "beautiful" photo than a stunning bridge that's very poorly photographed.😛

Hi Agnès, I 100% agree with you in principle. But what makes a bridge pretty or ugly? What makes a photo beautiful or a failed—or simply ugly—one? We often see in travel journals people raving about photos and warmly congratulating the photographer, when the photo is frankly bad. They’ve only seen the subject: a beautiful landscape in itself, a smiling child, a sumptuous palace, but in reality, the photo is technically very poor or simply failed due to bad settings or using the “automatic” mode, which often makes photos flat and lifeless. Sometimes the photographer knows the rules of photography perfectly but intentionally breaks them to better convey what *their* eye perceived, how their sensitivity reacted to the subject, and thus what they want to convey to the viewer... Other times, the photographer sticks so closely to the rules they’ve learned that the photo is technically correct but bland, dull, lifeless, and above all, devoid of any personality.

So, beautiful, not beautiful, ugly—it all remains very subjective when appreciating a photo. Personally, I prioritize photos that feel “alive” and “tell a story,” even if the subject is ugly or sad and the rules aren’t properly applied.



So, pretty bridge but ugly photo, or ugly bridge and beautiful photo? I love this one for its lively feel. It tells the story of transhumance—why the sheep are there, where they’re going... Why no one complains and lets them pass, even if they disrupt traffic... As for the bridge, the photo shows it’s there for the animals too; the number of sheep suggests how narrow the bridge is, its sturdiness, its necessity... It also tells us there was another bridge, probably less sturdy, that succumbed to the weather and the passage of time, and that a new one had to be built right next to it—wider, stronger...

Others will "make a big deal" 😉 and think the photo is ugly or off-topic.

For me, the photo fits the theme when the bridge is the main subject of the photo.

I need a bridge

Hi Isabelle, here are the example photos related to what I wrote yesterday. Personally, I think the bridge is very prominent, even if other elements are in the foreground. And is it really that important to you that someone submits a photo where the scenery takes up the whole shot and, way in the back, tiny, there’s a bridge? Sensible people just won’t vote for that photo, plain and simple, and too bad for it (the photo, not the photographer) if it’s completely off-topic. Do you *really* have to reject it and prevent it from competing?









This one is quite interesting, if not beautiful, with a clearly visible bridge, but what do we see in this photo that matches the brief: A bridge or a waterfall?



HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND

Hi Jean Marie, I won’t reject any photo—I’m just sharing my opinion on what I consider a photo that fits the theme or not. Now, everyone posts what they want, and the vote will decide.

There are a number of modern metal and concrete bridges that are absolutely magnificent and have a very successful aesthetic. Some are so light and airy that they resemble angel wings, as if they were about to take flight into the sky... Others, heavier, are not without interest and have a certain artistic side.

Yes, I admit that’s the case with the Millau Viaduct, but for me, it depends on the environment where they were built. I’d find this type of bridge very aesthetic in an urban setting or in a place I’d describe as ordinary. I think the Millau Viaduct is an eyesore in its natural setting. Unrelated to bridges, but in the same spirit, while I don’t find a row of wind turbines particularly aesthetic, they bother me less in the Rhône plain than in a beautiful mountain site. As for Himalayan-style metal footbridges, most of them serve a purpose, but I object when they’re built just to entertain tourists! They’re popping up everywhere now! That’s the case in the Belledonne massif (Chamrousse), where I really see no point in building a footbridge between two "hills" overlooking a pretty lake (Robert), other than visually polluting an environment that’s already cluttered enough with ski lifts (which, at least, serve some purpose).

Even if the photo isn't great, I can't help myself...



This one wouldn't qualify for the contest because, according to Rouquine 38's definition, it no longer fully spans the obstacle and doesn't connect both sides. And yet, it's still a bridge 😄

several bridges over the Tamur River (on the way to Kangchenjunga East in Nepal)





Old bridges (1980) in Khumbu (Nepal)

Oh, shoot! I didn’t read Isabelle’s definition carefully enough! 😅 Good thing I didn’t submit it for the contest 😄

Oh no! I didn’t read Isabelle’s definition carefully enough! 😅 Good thing I didn’t submit it for the contest 😄

The topic is huge! You can burn bridges, take a long weekend, build a bridge between two people, or be ready to go… 😜

U Bein Bridge, Myanmar

Your Albanian bridge in the contest reminds me of the bridges in the Zagori region of mainland Greece. Pick your favorite: 1 arch

2 arches:

or 3:

These are Ottoman bridges too, right?

Thanks to everyone who posted photos, both in this thread and in the contest—I can see you're feeling inspired! 😊