Heave ho, me hearties!

As predicted last week, the UK appears to be experiencing an Indian summer, with sunshine and temperatures of up to 28º C - 15º above normal for the time of year - and expected to last until early October. After a cloudy start to the day the clouds roll away and I ride to Poole harbour to shoot with a fast telephoto.

The idea is to concentrate on detail in the landscape; preferably something out of the ordinary, and it's a weather vane on top of a house in Sandbanks that catches my eye. The figure is of the fictional pirate Captain Pugwash: the main character of a British children's comic strip and TV show originating in the 1950s. He's seen here brandishing a cutlass to lay claim to a treasure chest on a tropical island; his ship Black Pig in the distance. The title of this post is one of his (many) catch phrases.


300mm f/2.8 AF-S VR Nikkor. 1/3200 second at f/5.6. -0.33 EV compensation. ISO 400

© 2011

Adobe Photoshop and the digital age...

Over the past month or so I've had several discussions (and disagreements) with another photographer as to whether or not digital photography takes away the soul of an image, and whether or not it's the best thing since sliced bread: he maintains it is not. I don't care.

Today, digital imaging proved its worth from my perspective, as it enabled me to produce a useable photograph using the wrong lens for the job. The paddle steamer PS Waverley made its final appearance at Bournemouth during the South Coast excursion season, and by way of a change I opted to get some shots from a higher angle than sea level, using a super-telephoto lens to record the ship's arrival at 1.00pm. Unfortunately, local atmospheric conditions - the bane of long focal length optics - were producing images with poor resolution and weak colours: I needed to shoot when my subject was much closer than intended.

From my vantage point on the West Cliff of Bournemouth I was unable to accommodate the full length of the Waverley with a 300mm lens once it tied-up along side the pier: I was just too close. I could have moved back the distance required, but as the stop-over was for a mere 15 minutes I had precious little time to re-locate and reframe... so I shot a panoramic.

I alway shoot in the RAW format, but for this technique I switched the camera to its fine jpeg setting, purely to keep the final file size down to something manageable. I needed to make all the exposures identical, so I switched the camera to manual and shot the sequence in portrait format (upright), overlapping each exposure by roughly 30%. Once opened on my computer I had seven frames that needed to be stitched together by software (Adobe Photoshop) - the results of which can be see in the first photograph. After that I processed the image as I normally would, but in this case I cloned-in a bit of sea at the bottom of the picture and cropped out the bent horizon and sky (below).

The process produced a final image 70cm wide with a file size of 116mb, and the detail in the original is such that when zoomed in I can clearly identify individual passengers waiting to embark from the pier.

300mm f/2.8 AF-S VR Nikkor. 1/400 second at f/11. - 0.33 EV compensation. ISO 400. Monopod.

© 2011

Well, it surprised me...

Having drawn a blank in photographing the PS Waverley on Sunday, the weather conspires once again the day after, and sailings are cancelled. Time is running out as tomorrow is the last day of the South Coast excursions. Not only that, but I understand that future visits are doubtful due to operating costs; this may be my last chance.

Having checked the Waverley's web site yesterday I deduce that my last (and only) chance for some images now is on Thursday - no sailings, today -  although the weather forecast doesn't look too promising. It's in the lap of the gods.

Despite a brisk westerly wind I decide to take a mid-day bike ride along the sea front of Poole Bay, Dorset; camera bag loaded for the first time in weeks, but nothing in mind to shoot... when I come upon the scene above. To my total surprise the aforementioned steamer is pulling up along side Bournemouth Pier as I arrive, shortly before 1pm. The light at this time of day is too brutal to get anything moody or pleasing, but I make a number of photographs as insurance against tomorrow's possibility of a no-show because of weather.

In this instance I use the RNLI lifeguard station and its attendant quad bike to add some interest and compensate for the less-than-photogenic lighting. I was also informed by a fellow photographer, whom I struck up a conversation with on the beach, that the Waverley was scheduled for a visit today; it was advertised it on its web site.

Missed that one!


24-70mm f/2.8G AF-S Nikkor. 1/320 second at f/11. - 0.33 EV Compensation. ISO 320. Polariser

© 2011

I see no ships...

It is at this time of year - and this week in particular - that the PS Waverley, the only seagoing paddle steamer in the world, makes several excursions along the South coast. Time for some shots.

Having missed the departure from Bournemouth pier this morning (it was raining), I elect to do some early evening photography as the ship returns. It will be better light, anyway.

Once the excursions are underway all details are removed from the sailing schedule on its web site, so I'm forced into guessing what time this will be. Experience tells me roughly 6 - 6.30pm, so I'm cycling along the seafront at this time from Bournemouth to Sandbanks, keeping an eye out for the Waverley to hove into view on the horizon...but it doesn't happen.

Eventually I check the departure and arrival times at the entrance to the pier, and a notice informs me that today's sailing had been cancelled due to bad weather. Okay, it did rain and there were winds of up to 25mph along the coast, but surely it wasn't that bad? Still, better safe than sorry; I'll try again tomorrow (weather permitting). Oh yes, the photograph is a token shot whilst waiting on the beach at Canford Cliffs, Poole.


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

© 2011

Seasonal Limbo...

As mentioned in my last post, summer officially came to an end on 31st August. With the autumn equinox nearly upon us next week, it leaves me wondering what these three weeks of seasonal Limbo might be called.

Having ridden out the remnants of Hurricane Irene, which manifested itself only as brisk winds in the South, I return to Throop, Dorset, for some casual photography. Today's photograph was taken from the footbridge of the weir that crosses the Stour at this point, and I make no attempt to conceal the electricity pylons that straddle the landscape, using them as part of the composition.

As with the nearby millpond in my last post, the river itself has also been allowed to return to a more natural state, with far more weed and reeds evident than in all the years I've been going to the spot. I'm sure there is a good reason for deliberately letting the waterway get to this condition, but everyone I speak to locally is as mystified as I am.


24-70mm f/2.8G AF-S Nikkor. 1/125 second at f/11. - 0.67 EV compensation. ISO 250. Polariser.


© 2011

Carpeted swans...

Although I heard someone on the radio mention the other day that the end of August is the end of summer, the beginning of September belies that statement. Clear skies and temperatures reaching 23˚C are the order of the day, and I'm not going to waste it. I've spent too many days inside recently, pursuing other creative interests; it's time to get out.

Packing my longest lens I jump (figuratively speaking) on my bike and head for the countryside, and specifically Throop Mill, Dorset. Although I have waterfowl in mind I'm not intending to shoot anything serious, as it's the middle of the day and the sun is high overhead: not the best light.

For reasons best known to those who manage the area, the millpond has been allowed to become carpeted with (duck?) weed, which at first glance makes it look as if it has been grassed-over; the surface looks solid enough to walk on. It's not, of course, born out by two mute swans paddling their way across. It's obviously harder work for them to move, but they seem to be quite adaptive to the situation.


300mm f/2.8 AF-S VR Nikkor with TC-14EII converter. 1/1250 sec at f/11. -0.67 EV compensation. Monopod. ISO 400.

© 2011