Moby Dick...

Composition plays a major part in photography, and there are several schools of thought as to what this should be. "Stick the subject in the middle and shoot" and "align the main subject according to the rule of thirds" are but two approaches that produce pleasing images to the eye.

But there are times when rules should be ignored and caution thrown to the wind, as in today's photograph. I had been monitoring the progress of the sail-boat in the hope it was going to come nearer to shore, but eventually it was evident that it was just going to sail on. So, with the composition already in mind, I shoot several frames of the boat, knowing just how I was going to crop the photograph (another contentious technique for some) and where I was going to publish it  (here, on this blog).

Moby Dick, the title of this post, keeps with the sea-faring theme, but is intended as a tribute to John Bonham, drummer with Led Zeppelin, who died 30 years ago today.

300mm f/4 AF-S Nikkor. 1/4000 second at f/5.6. -0.67 EV compensation. ISO 200

© 2010

Crikey, I'm bored...

Yes, it's true. I'm finding it difficult to motivate myself at the moment as far as photography is concerned, but then these things happen - I've been through it before. It becomes all too easy to get into a rut and to keep visiting the same places; shooting the same things. Not that this is necessarily a bad thing: repeated visits to the same location will always produce something different, whether it be lighting, atmospheric conditions or just the fact that the place has changed. Today is no different.

The photograph of Handfast Point and Old Harry Rocks was made from Sandbanks beach, Dorset, just after 7am. The sun had just broken above a cloud bank on the horizon and had started to light the distant hills and clouds, but it's the sky that makes the shot, more so as each one is unique.

To clear up any confusion that some visitors experience when viewing the rocks is that Old Harry (a local name for the Devil) is the thin chalk stack at the far left in the picture - not the somewhat larger formations that are visible. His "wife" is the diminutive stack to its right, which collapsed into the sea in the 1890s.

300mm f/4 AF-S Nikkor. 1/500 second at f/5. -0.33 EV compensation. ISO 400

© 2010

Facing due east...

September 22nd - the autumn equinox in the northern hemisphere; one of two days during the year when the sun rises due east and sets due west.
Shooting weather conditions at either end of the day ideally needs a bit of cloud to improve a bland sky, as in this photograph, shot just after dawn at 7.04 am on Christchurch harbour, Dorset. There was low-lying mist on the surrounding shores, frequent after a clear night at this time of year, but no such luck on the water, so I choose to utilise the sun's reflection as part of the composition - the ducks taking-off was a piece of luck.

300mm f/4 AF-S Nikkor. 1/2000 second at f/5.6. +1 stop exposure compensation. ISO 400

© 2010

The joys of f/2.8...

Today's image was not planned: I was on my way to Christchurch harbour, Dorset, to photograph waterfowl as the dawn broke, but as I rode in the semi-darkness along the cliff tops I became aware of the muffled sounds of heavy diesel engines labouring in the distance.

Upon investigating the din my suspicions were confirmed - the Limassol-registered dredger Shoalway was, once again, delivering a load for the ongoing beach replenishment scheme of Poole Bay - but under cover of darkness. I suspected it was a 24 hour operation yesterday, due to the floodlighting at the site, but was mildly surprised to see work being carried out during the night over the weekend. They must be earning a fortune in overtime.

Once at the scene it soon became obvious that light levels were very low, and some improvisation was going to be in order as it was still 23 minutes before sunrise. This is where fast aperture professional lenses shine: the ability to produce good quality images when used wide open. I still needed to brace the camera against a convenient lamp post to keep everything steady and raise the ISO rating to give an acceptable shutter speed, but the shot worked.  

24-70mm f/2.8 AF-S Nikkor. 1/50 second at f/2.8. -0.67 EV compensation. ISO 800

© 2010

The Wind Cries Mary*...

The blue sea is discoloured by pipe leakage as the dredger Shoalway (top left) pumps sand ashore onto Portman Ravine and Fisherman's Walk beaches, Poole Bay, Dorset. The material is then distributed by two bulldozers and an excavator to level the area. It is only 18 months since the operation was performed at this location and the beach didn't seem to need replenishment, but obviously others disagree. Perhaps it was because a significant amount of material was taken from this site for the second attempt to build the ill-fated - read: doesn't work -  Boscombe Surf Reef.

24-70mm f/2.8 AF-S Nikkor. 1/320 second at f/11. -0.33 EV compensation. ISO 200


* The title of this post is an acknowledgement to Jimi Hendrix, who died 40 years ago today - arguably the best electric guitar player who ever lived.

© 2010

A change of mind...

The PS Waverley, the last seagoing paddle steamer in the world, is currently running its south coast excursions, and I always try to get some photographs during the season.
Today's image was shot at 6.40pm as the Waverley made an approach to tie-up at Bournemouth Pier, Dorset, but oddly this was as close as it came. For reasons best known to the captain the steamer then stopped; reversed back ou...er, went astern into open water and then headed east. I can only assume that there were no passengers wanting to disembark at this point.

24-70mm f/2.8G AF-S Nikkor. 1/1000 second at f/5.6. -0.33 EV compensation. ISO 200

© 2010