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toniallen

On the horizon

The illusion was quite incredible. That boat is actually much closer than the windmills, yet they look like they're right next to each other....
Read more

The illusion was quite incredible. That boat is actually much closer than the windmills, yet they look like they're right next to each other.
Read less

Aug, 2023

Views

293

Awards

Contender in the Photography Awards

Winter 23 Award

Summer Views Award

Top Ranks

Top 30 rank

Top 20 rank week 1

Top 30 rank week 2

Behind The Lens

Location

My friend wanted to look at a motorcycle for sale in Southwick, Hampshire, on the south coast, so I took my camera, knowing I'd go for a wander while he chatted about bikes. The harbour area is quite industrial, but there is a beach, and I was fascinated by this juxtaposition of industry and leisure. It was a blisteringly hot day, and there, out in the haze on the horizon, I saw this ship, which seemed to be nestled between the windmills. In truth, the ship is probably a mile closer, but at times it looked as if they might collide.

Time

This photo was taken at about 5 pm.

Lighting

Although it was extremely bright sunshine overhead, out to sea there was a heat haze, which made everything appear quite muted. Regardless, I still stopped down one-third, to ensure the highlights weren't blown out. It's not something you can necessarily see through the camera, but with sunshine and masses of water, it's bound to happen if you're not careful.

Equipment

I have several cameras, and on this particular day, I was using my Nikon Coolpix P1000 super-zoom. It's a fantastic piece of kit and the camera I always have on me when I don't have a specific theme in mind. It goes from wide-angle to super-distance, so I can capture anything that catches my imagination. For this photo, I zoomed in on the subject as far as I could without getting camera shake, a convenient railing acting as a steadying post. Yes, that boat is a very long way away. And, it was anchored but constantly moving, swaying this way and that with the sea's undulation. My first couple of shots seemed to have camera shake, but on closer inspection, I realised the boat wasn't static, so I upped the shutter speed.

Inspiration

The weird illusion of the ship seeming to be right amidst the windmills is what grabbed my attention. The windmills loomed up around it, great giants threatening the ship. There was a certain air of menace, yet also some really funky abstract shapes going on. I also really love the heat haze rising off the horizon line, and the windmills shimmering, their hard outlines bent by the light.

Editing

I did some basic processing in Photoshop, my first objective being to straighten the horizon. It was only slightly off, but enough to make the ship tilt a fraction and put the windmills off perpendicular. I then made some minor adjustments to the contrast and exposure, punching life into what had started as a very muted/grey image.

In my camera bag

My pick up and go back is very basic. It contains my Nikon P1000 and two spare batteries. When the camera comes out of the bag, I always slip the batteries into my pocket. My SD card is large enough for a few hundred photos, but if I'm constantly zooming in and out, exploring different shots, there's always the risk of the battering running low. I never like to use a battery that's down to two bars of charge as it can often affect the camera's ability to gain an accurate meter reading. Hence, the moment the battery drops, I pop in a new, fully-charged one, to ensure the best results.

Feedback

To achieve this photo, I took maybe thirty shots. Some were zoomed in more, some wider. I knew what I was seeing at the time, but I couldn't be certain which would look best once they were blown up on a large screen. My first romantic notions didn't work well, but this simpler composition did. The first thing to do is to grab any old shot, because you just don't know if that ship will suddenly pull anchor and your subject will change completely. You also don't know if the photo you think is best will turn out to be less than pin-sharp once you have a look on your PC. You can't guarantee that's the one, so take quite a few. Also, be patient. While I was taking these photos, that ship swung almost to face me head-on. Not the look I wanted, so I had to wait for it to drift back round again. Which took at least half an hour.

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toniallen

toniallen

On the horizon

The illusion was quite incredible. That boat is actually much closer than the windmills, yet they look like they're right next to each other.... Read more

Behind The Lens

See more amazing photos, follow toniallen

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The illusion was quite incredible. That boat is actually much closer than the windmills, yet they look like they're right next to each other....
Read more

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Earn coins, get amazing rewards. Join for free.