2017 Project 52 - 2nd Quarter by Geoff F

[Geoff F]

As with previous years, I will be showing various landscapes, people and events from around the area where I live; but my additional challenge this time will be to experiment with different size ratios and where possible to avoid my most commonly used sizes of 3 x 2 and 5 x 4

The previous 1st quarter is here
2017 Project 52 - 1st Quarter by Geoff F

Week 14. Vigilance in Salcombe Harbour. I'm starting this quarter with a distinctly second rate image. This old ex fishing boat was tied up at a pontoon but it was a very dull day, with rain, and all I had with me was my Fuji X20 pocket sized camera. However, I decided to have a go anyway. Tried several angles but needed to hide a rubber dinghy which was onboard and prominently tied to the rigging; then those two girls briefly walked past and I knew it was now or never.



1/280 F5.6 Iso 200. Iso 400 was giving far too much noise and even at 200 it is a bit of a nuisance.

Sometimes I take better equipment with me but I was on the quay while going for an afternoon beer and having a large camera/lens strapped around my neck is a touch inconvenient when the bar is busy.

[skitterbug]

Hi Geoff ~ This photo may not be quite up to your usual standards but it is still clear and full of interest! Hopefully, the weather decides to stay "springlike" one of these days!

[Shadowman]

Nicely framed and captured.

[Cantab]

Geoff, the boat's vertical stem caught my eye. As you indicated, she must definitely date back a good many years.

On the assumption that "BM76" is a fishing licence designation, I googled it and came up with two interesting hits. One was another photo of the boat in your image. But the more interesting google "hit" was a predecessor fishing boat (also BM76) hit and sunk by a U-boat in 1918: http://www.uboat.net/wwi/ships_hit/7162.html . But interestingly this boat had been built in Brixham, the same general area as where the current boat with the BM76 licence is located. Would the licence have been transferred to the vessel you photographed?

[Geoff F]

Thanks for the replies.

Yes, Bruce, in the UK the fishing boat registration numbers get recycled. When I was fishing for a living I traced the two previous boats with my boat's number (SE 35).

Some countries, however, only issue a number once so you get French boats with numbers which are now well into the thousands.

Those distinctive sailing trawlers were built in Brixham and the Uphams Yard built several. Only a few of the later boats survive now and are owned by a sailing trust. By the 1920's most fishermen were fishing using engines and although steel boats gradually increased in number there was still a demand for locally constructed wooden vessels.

I'm not sure if the later sailing trawlers also had engines. The existing boats certainly have additional engine power now, often Gardiner engines were fitted. Large and slow running with a long stroke and heavy flywheel, they gave the sort of serious power which was required for trawling.

[Geoff F]

Week 15. Magnolia in Overbecks Garden. I have attempted this scene many times over the past few years and always find it to be a challenge. Took several shots with slight variations of position and settings. Finally settled for this one.



7D with Tamron 24-70 lens 1/640 F11 Iso 200

I did take some closer shots of the magnolia but this scene shows more of the garden and distant harbour.

[skitterbug]

I find myself hunting for the castle off in the distance..... It is a lovely picture in my estimation! I like it!

[Cantab]

The picture works well.

[Geoff F]

Yes, the old ruined castle is there; plus a Victorian mock castle folly behind the real thing.

Thanks for the comments.

[Geoff F]

Week 16. Sprouts are off the menu. As I was going to a wildlife reserve to do a bit of insect recording this farmer in the next field was grubbing out his old Brussel Sprout plants while Herring Gulls and Crows were feeding on the exposed worms, etc.



7D with Sigma 180 macro lens. 1/1250 F11 Iso 400. Yes, shot with the macro lens because I didn't have the best lens for the job with me. But at that angle and distance this lens worked OK to show the birds as well as the overall landscape.

Also tried with my Tamron 24-70 when the tractor was closer but I'm not quite so keen on this angle and the somewhat bland background. A better sky would probably have worked OK.



1/400 F11 Iso 200

[Cantab]

Yes, I did a double take when I saw you'd used your 180mm macro on the tractor. It just goes to show that the lens works as well as any other 180mm lens on things other than bugs, etc.!

Actually, I've just realized this raises a good question. Do you have any sense whether there is a difference in picture quality for this type of distant shot between the 180mm macro and your Sigma zoom set at 180?

Did you have any photographic luck at the wildlife reserve?

[skitterbug]

Hi Geoff ~ I like the first tractor pic over the second. It has less sky and field showing but interesting shot of the birds and tractor working. But as is always true with your work, sharp pics and both well done!

Actually, I'm surprised he was in his field since it looks very wet. Wasn't he afraid of compaction? If we do that, we have problems getting the soil worked down properly - too many hard clods are created!

[Shadowman]

Nice tractor shots.

[Geoff F]

One day I will have to do some side by side tests between that macro lens, used as a landscape lens, and my Canon 70-200.

I am getting some interesting insect records and photos. Perhaps I will put some together soon. Everything is appearing early this year after such a mild winter. Some of my images which have been linked into wildlife sites are here. The recent insect images are on the last two or three pages.

http://www.pbase.com/crustacean/linked_images_2017

The ground is starting to dry up now and it is a rather light sandy soil. I assume they will be ploughing in the grubbed out stalks in a few weeks time so that should avoid any compaction problems. Those issues mostly occur here when extra heavy equipment repeatedly goes along the same track. I know some farms have had problems when lifting and transporting trailer loads of heavy crops like potatoes.

[joebranko]

Great shots of the tractor at work. The first shot with the birds has greater visual interest even though the sky is not interesting.

[John 2]

As with previous years, I will be showing various landscapes, people and events from around the area where I live; but my additional challenge this time will be to experiment with different size ratios and where possible to avoid my most commonly used sizes of 3 x 2 and 5 x 4

The previous 1st quarter is here
2017 Project 52 - 1st Quarter by Geoff F

Week 14. Vigilance in Salcombe Harbour. I'm starting this quarter with a distinctly second rate image. This old ex fishing boat was tied up at a pontoon but it was a very dull day, with rain, and all I had with me was my Fuji X20 pocket sized camera. However, I decided to have a go anyway. Tried several angles but needed to hide a rubber dinghy which was onboard and prominently tied to the rigging; then those two girls briefly walked past and I knew it was now or never.



1/280 F5.6 Iso 200. Iso 400 was giving far too much noise and even at 200 it is a bit of a nuisance.

Sometimes I take better equipment with me but I was on the quay while going for an afternoon beer and having a large camera/lens strapped around my neck is a touch inconvenient when the bar is busy.

Nothing wrong with this shot Geoff. What a wonderful old boat. I just love them.

[purplehaze]

Week 15. Magnolia in Overbecks Garden. I have attempted this scene many times over the past few years and always find it to be a challenge. Took several shots with slight variations of position and settings. Finally settled for this one.



7D with Tamron 24-70 lens 1/640 F11 Iso 200

I did take some closer shots of the magnolia but this scene shows more of the garden and distant harbour.

I think this is quite lovely, Geoff. A magnolia is a magnolia, but its environment makes it unique.

[bnnrcn]

Lovely shot Geoff, very nice composition and colors

Week 15. Magnolia in Overbecks Garden. I have attempted this scene many times over the past few years and always find it to be a challenge. Took several shots with slight variations of position and settings. Finally settled for this one.



7D with Tamron 24-70 lens 1/640 F11 Iso 200

I did take some closer shots of the magnolia but this scene shows more of the garden and distant harbour.

[Geoff F]

Thanks for the positive replies. And now moving on to:

Week 17. Scenes from the Clifftop Path. I was going to an insect recording area but dallied for a while with a perfectly calm morning and distant mist. These are something of an experiment though. It seems that whatever second lens I carry with me, it is never the one I need!



7D with Canon 70-200 lens at 70 mm. 1/400 F11 Iso 200. Merge of 2 focus points. 70 mm was a bit tight but I did what I could.

A bit further along the path and gorse took over as the foreground vegetation. Now I had a bit more space to work with.



Looking to my left, and closer to the light, I had a few experimental snaps with this tricky scene.



1/640 F11 Iso 200. A merge of two Raw conversions plus a bit of extra editing.

[Cantab]

Week 14. Vigilance in Salcombe Harbour. I'm starting this quarter with a distinctly second rate image. This old ex fishing boat was tied up at a pontoon but it was a very dull day, with rain, and all I had with me was my Fuji X20 pocket sized camera. However, I decided to have a go anyway. Tried several angles but needed to hide a rubber dinghy which was onboard and prominently tied to the rigging; then those two girls briefly walked past and I knew it was now or never.

We were watching a British TV show yesterday, The Coroner, when there appeared a distant view of a ketch/yawl under sail. Our initial reaction was that it reminded us of a local boat we've been out on.

But a few minutes later there was a much closer view and, lo and behold, it was BM76 and the name on the stern was Vigilance. So presumably this TV show from south Devon was shot not far from your stretch of the coastline!