MS Alexia
A ship that has seen better days, beached at Antalaha, Madagascar,
A ship that has seen better days, beached at Antalaha, Madagascar,
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Jun, 2016Views
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Behind The Lens
Location
This photo was taken in Antalaha, a small coastal town on the north-east coast of Madagascar. Antalaha is famous for its vanilla production, but I was more fascinated by its small port and the boats that sailed in and out each day.Time
This one was taken mid-morning on a January day in 2016. The temperature was stifling and the humidity hung at about 120%. There was not even the hint of a breeze. The tide was low so I waded out into the water to capture the boat from the front. The coolness of the water was a welcome relief, even if just for my legs. This photo was one of a series that I took while splashing around in the shallows, but it is the one that I am probably most fond of.Lighting
The light at this time of day was actually quite harsh so I am extra pleased with how the photo came out. I had gone out earlier a few days before when the light was still soft and captured some nice serene shots of boats moored just outside the port, but this one is a lot more vibrant.Equipment
I used a handheld Canon EOS 600D with an 18-55mm lens. Exposure was 1/60 with an ISO of 100.Inspiration
Antalaha is a coastal town and even though its port is small, it is always bustling and full of activity. Every morning during my stay, I would walk along the beach to the port to see which boats had departed and which new boats had arrived. To get there, I had to walk past this boat - the MS Alexia. It had obviously seen better days and had been beached due to it not being sea worthy anymore. It had heaps more character than the generic metal tubs tied up at port though! It was just begging to be photographed and I must have rattled off half a dozen shots of it everytime I walked by. If it wasn't the most photographed boat in Antalaha, it is now! This shot, taken in the light of a harsh mid-morning tropical sun, is my favourite.Editing
The photo has been cropped and the contrast and colour saturation have been increased slightly.In my camera bag
I don't like to be over encumbered so I travel pretty light. For me, photography is only one part of the experience of travelling, and I don't allow it to dominant my holidays. My bag contains my trusty Canon EOS 600D with its 18-55mm lens. I also carry a Tamron 18-270mm lens and various cloths and lens cleaning products. I hate a smudged lens! But that is it. All my shots are hand held so I don't carry a tripod. I could probably get more creative if I did, but then other aspects of my time away would suffer, so it is a payoff I'm willing to make.Feedback
Don't get too wrapped up in specifics. Sure, it is nice if the lighting is perfect, but if it isn't, don't fret. Have a crack at it anyway, you may be surprised with what you get. Look for other things that may enhance your photo. Find interesting angles. Play around with composition. Be willing to get wet, or climb a tree, or lie down in sand. Take notice of the background. But most of all HAVE FUN. If you come away with a killer shot then well done, if not, you've had a nice day out anyway, so it is a win-win situation. You can't lose!
