Bluenose - (Image heavy)

[John 2]

When I was a still teenager, I read about the Banks fishing schooners that fished off the Grand Banks. They have always stuck in my mind so that when we discovered that a replica of one of the most famous of those vessels operated out of Lunenburg, we didn't hesitate. After the original two masted Schooner Bluenose foundered, Bluenose II was built as an exact replica to the original drawings for a Nova Scotia brewery company to advertise their signature brew. In recent years, she was gifted to the Nova Scotia government and as a result went through a much needed re fit. Now described as an ambassador for NS, she travels up and down the NS coast and occasionally the northern US coast as a tourist attraction. If you would like to know more see here.

After a very quite period of light airs due to the unusually hot Summer, the cyclone that ravaged the East Coast of the US in September, reached out and produced some force 4/5 winds off Nova Scotia. We were fortunate to be able to spend an afternoon aboard. It was exhilarating and if you want confirmation of that, have a look at the grin on my wife's face in image 6 below. I wouldn't claim any photographic merit for these images. I was too busy enjoying the ride and in the conditions, the crew were not too keen to have the deck cargo wandering around. They are just a record of a long held ambition that I thought worth sharing.

All Fuji X plus mainly a 14mm WA and 8mm Fisheye.

1. Taken in the morning before the cruise. Terrible quality due to only having 55-200mm and a subject that is about a mile away. Heavy blue cast hence the mono.


2. Raising the Foresail. The smaller of the two large sails but still a lot of canvas.


3. A view aft from under the foresail.


4. The 125ft main mast.


5. Not yet 30 years old but First Mate having cut her teeth on Arctic Tugs.


6. Sheer delight (read that how you will).


7. Gunwales awash and going like a train. The Earth is round after all.


8. A view forward.


9. 18 crew including the Captain. It takes 12 of them to furl the mainsail.

[Shadowman]

Nice, crisp, dynamic captures.

[marlunn]

Nice set John. While they are all fab and tell a geat visual story of time onboard and i love the history of it - thank you for that, I really love the first in B & W - it totally gives me the feel of the age and 'majesty' of her. It really sets her in her place in history ( if that makes any sense )

[Mike Buckley]

I wouldn't claim any photographic merit for these images.

That being the case, I'll be more than happy to claim it on your behalf. This set is such an all-encompassing series of perspectives properly exposed (not easy to do in this situation!), expertly post-processed and imaginatively conceived.

[rpcrowe]

Nice captures... I do get the feeling of a sailing ship!

I have had only one experience on a large sailing ship, that was enough for me not to repeat the adventure. Although I have spent weeks and months at sea during 32 years in the Navy, I have never regarded a sea voyage as anything but transportation from point A to point B - with perhaps some fishing during the interim...

[Wavelength]

Excellent images of a happy journey

[madcrow]

Great images and you enjoyed the trip.

[JohnRostron]

An impressive set of images. I presume that you were holding onto the boat with your third hand whilst taking the Shots!

I find the first fish-eye, #7, fine, but I felt that #8 did not work. Perhaps it is because I expect the mast to be straight.

John

[bnnrcn]

A very nice set John, my favs are #4 and #9

[Dave A]

Great series John. Even with the distortion I like #8 the most, although they are all interesting shots.

Dave

[John 2]

Thanks all for the comments.

Yes Mark, it does make sense although it has since occurred to me that as a working vessel fishing in all weathers, the original Bluenose would have been a very different place.

John R./Dave, I played around with no. 8 to take some of the curve out but ended up liking the original. I've come to like 8mm fisheye more and more the more I use it. Never 100% successful but I think you begin to learn what works as you go on. However, it's a bit of an acquired taste I guess.

[Mike Buckley]

As for #8 and its bent mast, the distortion is so extreme that it's clearly an artistic interpretation of the scene. People will probably either like or dislike it quite a lot. It works very well for me. If the scene didn't include the ropes on the right side balancing the curve in the opposite direction of the mast, it probably wouldn't work for me at all.

[terrib]

All very well composed scenes. The color is wonderful and I'm really drawn to that beautiful deck! Looks like a great experience.

[John 2]

Thanks Mike, thanks Terri. Terri, part of the appeal of all wooden boats for me is the varnished woodwork. Bluenose II is no exception.

[Mike Buckley]

part of the appeal of all wooden boats for me is the varnished woodwork.

You did an excellent job of including the woodwork in some of the scenes. Its color looks vibrant but natural, not overly processed.

I also notice that you controlled the potential glare very nicely to reveal the wood's rich tones. I imagine that you would not have been able to use a polarizer on the fisheye lens to minimize glare but wonder if you used one on your other lenses.

[John 2]

Thank you Mike. No polariser. It's just not possible on the Fisheye and although I have polarisers for all my other lenses either direct fit or via thread adapters, the number of times in a year that I remember to use one are few. On the other hand, the number of times in a year that I wish I had...............