2016 Project 52 Challenge 3rd Quarter by Geoff F

[Dave Humphries]

Great series Geoff,

I particularly enjoyed the Fishing Boat race, since that's not so often seen (by me at least).

Thanks for the Links to the PBase folders, I went and saw the lot there too.

btw the 'original' size of #14 in the rowing set is huge, it may have escaped the downsizing all the others had. (FWIW)

I agree with Binnur for my favourite of the Regatta set.

Cheers, Dave

[Geoff F]

Thanks for the comments.

For many years, when I was fishing for a living, I organised and entered the race with my boat. But since retiring I just photograph the scene from a headland at the harbour mouth; although I still help out with the prizegiving afterwards.

I have checked out the photo sizes and yes one seems to have slipped through at the unedited size, although this usually gets rejected at the upload stage. I will have to change it later.

Incidentally, all the others were at the same 1200 pixel long edge size but the 16 x 9 ratio images have appeared here at a smaller auto resized size. I'm not sure why this has happened.

[Cantab]

Thanks for the comments.

For many years, when I was fishing for a living, I organised and entered the race with my boat. But since retiring I just photograph the scene from a headland at the harbour mouth; although I still help out with the prizegiving afterwards.

Geoff, until reading your comment I was certain that the photo had been taken from another boat, which looked like it was about to be sunk in a collision with the racing boats! But I see that you were in fact out of harm's way on dry land. Part of the allure of the photo is the impression that it's taken from a viewpoint nearly in line with the rapidly oncoming boats.

[Geoff F]

This image looking out to seaward should still have the GPS information in the Exif data, Bruce. The harbour is out of view on the left. The map shows that from this location I can look right up the harbour. Normally I am on those rocks but the tide was too high on the day so I had to move a fraction closer to the cliff.

[Cantab]

This image looking out to seaward should still have the GPS information in the Exif data, Bruce. The harbour is out of view on the left. The map shows that from this location I can look right up the harbour. Normally I am on those rocks but the tide was too high on the day so I had to move a fraction closer to the cliff.

Geoff, I always enjoy looking at the these photos – probably because I grew up only a few minutes' bicycle ride from a somewhat similar rocky point of land.

I noted from the GPS information that there are what appear to be shoalling sands near this point. And more particularly the map showed the course of the South Sands Ferry running over a sandy area which presumably is dry land at low tide?!

And I noted that there appears to be a Canadian flag flying on one of the boats.

[John 2]

.........................The Fishing Boat Race and as they started the sun went behind a cloud so I had to open up my aperture a little and hope for the best with slower shutter speeds than I would have ideally chosen.



1/400 F8 Iso 400

.................................

I'm a bit late to these Geoff but I really like the way you have captured the fury in the water in these two.

[Geoff F]

Thanks for the comment, John.

Bruce. There is a sandbank (bar) just ahead of those boats which is only around 6 ft deep at low tide; less than that at the other end.

The South Sands Ferry runs down the centre of the harbour which is around 12 ft or more at low tide, then it turns to land at a sandy beach in a small bay which is just to the left of those rocks.

[IzzieK]

In the first batch, the row boat provided a scale as to how big these fishing boats are. Fascinating to say the least. I find the Start of the fishing boat race very interesting. I can almost feel the adrenalin there. The women and men racing looks interesting too. And btw, despite the what you said slow shooting speed, I like the water treatment there as it is not overly smooth.

[Geoff F]

Thanks Izzie.

Regarding the flags, Bruce, anything which can be obtained from any source is flown; as this boat proves.

[Geoff F]

Week 34 - Vintage Machinery Show

Not so good this year. They held it in different fields and the arrangement meant it was very difficult to get 'clean backgrounds' without modern stuff intruding and more of the drivers etc were wearing inappropriate clothing with large areas of brand advertising and baseball caps etc. For me, this completely ruins the atmosphere of the event. All of which has meant a bit of cloning work was required.

Also the event seemed to concentrate on the show ring with equipment just driving around in a tight circle instead of actually working in the nearby fields as previously occurred.

On top of which, a band of mist and drizzle passed through for around an hour; then there was a strange light from a mix of harsh sunshine and heavy clouds. Attempting to shoot through mist coupled with steam engine smoke meant taking a lunch break until it cleared.

So; How many men does it take to . . .



7D with Tamron 24-70 lens. 1/500 F8 Iso 400. One of the scenes which shows how inappropriate items like baseball caps spoils the overall atmosphere.

'I think you meant to say walk on - Please!'



1/800 F8 Iso 400

[Geoff F]

I converted some images to Black & White.

A Traction Engine pulling a reversible plough using wire



And the plough in action.



Comparing two methods side by side



1/500 F8 Iso 200

One of the early self propelled combine harvesters which were useful in the many small fields of that period.



1/1000 F8 Iso 200

Loading the cart



1/400 F8 Iso 200

Heading for home.



1/640 F8 Iso 200

Another angle showing the tractor

[bnnrcn]

I love those B&W images Geoff

[IzzieK]

Me too, Geoff --the black and white ones are superb. Tell me, in #2 B/W, does it really take three men to operate that machine? These scenes reminded me of my childhood...men shooting the breeze and men working. Good series this time around, Geoff...

[Geoff F]

Thanks for the comments, Binnur and Izzie. I ought to spend more time doing B&W work but other things keep getting in the way and taking up my time.

With the wire controlled plough there are two steam traction engines, one at each end of the field, with two men on each to wind the wire around that drum and pull the plough. Actually three men and a dog in this case.

Then on the plough there is one man to steer and another to control the depth plus, when required, others to add a little portable weight, a lady in this case, to take out some of the bouncing and produce a constant furrow depth.

So to be economic they needed larger fields but in those instances this was a lot faster than the single furrow two horse powered alternative, and labour was cheap. Then came petrol powered tractors with a two furrow plough which was operated by just one man and steam power soon became extinct.

[Shadowman]

Nice transport series.

[Cantab]

Geoff, I agree with Izzie and Binnur that the black and white photos work really well.

Many years ago, I took black and white photos (120 film) of old farm machinery on an uncle's farm in Saskatchewan. For some reason black and white works well for old farm scenes!

[joebranko]

Beautiful B&W I ages!

[Geoff F]

Thanks for the encouraging replies.

Some scenes do seem to be just right for the B&W approach but it still needs suitable light to make things happen.

Because I have added in a few local event categories which have their own gallery in my P base account I have now encountered some variation in the week numbers so I'm adding in a few extra items until I get everything synchronised again.

A misty morning on the cliff path, as I was going to an insect shoot, so I looked around for some suitable subjects but nothing obvious appeared so I had a go with what was available anyway

The Cliff Path



7D with Canon 70-200 lens 1/160 F11 Iso 200. A merge of two focus points. Tried several different shooting settings and angles; also tried with walkers in different positions but nothing really worked, so after quite a bit of experimentation with various editing ideas this was the best of a rather limited bunch.

Looking out to sea.



1/320 F11 Iso 200. A few things in the foreground had to be avoided and I liked the idea of that small ship in the fog; but just a quick shot without any real thinking time.

[Cantab]

Geoff, I like both of the two most recent photos.

For the first one, I was intrigued by your ability to use two different focus points despite the fact that the walkers and their dog must've moved between the two images – quite apart from any grass movement from wind, etc. Perhaps you removed the walkers and the dog out of one of the images?

The second photo is an interesting juxtaposition of an absolutely sharp foreground coupled with an eerie ship in the distance (the Flying Dutchman?).

[Shadowman]

Nice captures. As you are at the halfway point of your Project 52; any breakthroughs, insights you'd like to share?