E00A1137© Star Clipper and Big Rock
May, 2017Views
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Awards
Contest Finalist in Creative Landscapes Photo Contest vol3
Peer Award
Absolute Masterpiece
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Outstanding Creativity
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Magnificent Capture
Virtuoso
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Behind The Lens
Location
This was taken in Phan Nga Bay, Thailand. We had boarded Star Clipper in Singapore, and would disembark in Phuket, Thailand in 2 days. It is customary with this company,www.starclippers.com, to provide photo safari of the ship under full sail. This gives passengers the opportunity to get "the picture". Passengers board tenders and are moved about the moving ship so that photos can be taken from all sides, We had a better view from a zodiac, motorized rubber boat, with the cruise director as our pilot. We had an unobstructed view and only 8-10 people aboard. Phang Nga was declared a marine national park in 1981, having more than 40 islands, with some as tall as 1000 ft. (I posted a B&W image of the ship approaching this same rock which better shows the size of the rock in comparison to the ship's 200 ft masts, see E00A1119).Time
This was taken at 11:51 local time.Lighting
The clouds provided a filtered light so details were not burned out in the whites and there were no harsh shadows, We had many showers during the week, and later that day we got drenched on our trip to James Bond Island E00A1415.Equipment
This was taken with my Canon EOS 5D MarkIII, with Tamron lens 28-300, ISO160, 1/500 sec,-.3 exposure compensation. We were in a zodiac about 18 inches out of the water, so only one camera taken.Inspiration
Having traveled with Star Clippers before, I knew the photo safari would be fun. With the experienced cruise director as our pilot, I felt confident that we would see spectacular views. She loves photography, maneuvered us into great positions, and was able to give us heads up on where the ship would be. I loved the color, rock formation, and the ship to hopefully convey the size of the rock. I had never been to Thailand before so I took as many images as I could, as we bounced and bounced over the waves. We also got to see things like cliff dwellers and lagoons where the tenders could not go.Editing
Yes, but I don't remember specifics. I used Photoshop and Nix to bring out detail, improve color balance, and decrease glare from the water.In my camera bag
For travel, I go light. I take the 5D as noted above, and EOS 7D Mark II with Tamron 16-300 lens. I may also have a 16-35 for the 5D and an 18-35 for the 7D. I use a polarizing filter at times and take a cable release. With batteries, cards, etc, about 13 lbs. I own several Tripods, a Tamron 150-600 lens that I use for birding, and a 100 Canon macro. What I take depends on carry on weight requirements of the airlines, the subject matter, or the proximity of my car. (Cathay Pacific has a 15 lb total carry on weight requirement)Feedback
Be sure the pilot is familiar with the subject and photography so you can get into the best possible position. It is easier to talk to fellow photographers when situations are quickly changing. I feel fortunate to have captured the image, considering the bobbing of the zodiac. This is my favorite horizontal image from the safari. Best advice is to sail on a tall ship for the adventure. We have done it 7 times including in the Caribbean and a transatlantic crossing.
