Old Church - Port Arthur Tasmania
Canon EOS 1000D
Aperture f/10 ISO 400 Shutter 1/250 Focal Length 18/1 
Port Arthur, Tasmania, AU
Apr, 2016Views
712
Likes
Awards
Member Selection Award
Emotions
Impressed
Top Ranks
Top 20 rankCategories
Same photographer See allBehind The Lens
Discover more photos See all
Behind The Lens
Location
This is a photo of the original church at Tasmania's Port Arthur Convict Settlement. It was built by the convicts in the early 1800's and used by the colony officers and their families.Time
There is so much to see at the site and we had been there since around 9:00am. After lunch we ventured up the hill to the officer’s homes and the market garden area. This is where the church building is situated. It is on a rise that overlooks the entire site and can be seen from anywhere on the grounds. By this time it was around 2:00pm and being Tasmania, the sun was already low in the western sky. This photo was taken on 2nd March 2015 at 2:10pm.Lighting
The early afternoon sun allowed the colors of the brickwork to show through. The building was not surrounded by any trees or other buildings, so the natural light was sufficient and I didn't need to use a flash.Equipment
This photo was taken on a Canon 1000D with an 18-55mm lens. The camera was hand held and no flash was used. Aperture was set at F/10 with an exposure time of 1/250 sec.Inspiration
I love the color and texture of stone and the workmanship in this building is a beautiful example of taking a raw piece of a natural element and shaping it for a purpose. The notches in the stonework are a reminder of how arduous and labor intensive this work was and yet the convicts could still produce something of great beauty. As I stood at the entrance to the building, I looked to the other end and saw the spires still reaching up to the sky after more than a century and a half. I was moved to photograph them and the doorway with it's perfectly crafted arch was the ideal frame. It is one of my favorite photographs.Editing
The only post-processing required was to straighten the image slightly and I adjusted the contrast to bring out the detail and color of the stonework.In my camera bag
I have two cameras now. The one that I took this photograph with, the Canon 1000D with a 18-55mm lens and a 55-250mm lens and I recently bought a Canon 70D with an 18-135mm lens. My choice of camera depends on where I am going as the 1000D is a much lighter and easier to carry camera so I tend to take it when I go bushwalking. I prefer the 70D for photographing people and events. Most of the time, both cameras are in my car as you never know where you will end up sometimes. I always have UV filters fitted on my lenses and I also have a 10-stop neutral density filter for daytime long exposures. Other important items in my bags are a cable release, a lens cloth, a small torch, a pen & notebook and a light plastic poncho in case of inclement weather. I can pull the camera up into the sleeve of the poncho if it starts raining. I have a tripod that stays in my car for whenever I need one.Feedback
When you see something interesting, always walk around to get the right angle. You need to be willing to bend down, get on your knees or stand up on something like a wall or a large stone in order to get the best view. Framing a scene gives it an extra dimension so step back or move in closer to take advantage of anything that would frame your scene well. The shape and form of this scene lent itself very well to the central positioning of the far wall and spires. While the rule of thirds is an excellent guide for a well balanced image, it is equally important to evaluate your prospective image and photograph the scene in the way that suits it best.
