Rusty buoys

click photo to enlarge
I've posted a few photographs of buoys on this blog. The first, as long ago as 2006, reflected on the spelling of the word. The second, in 2008, pondered the colours of these nautical markers. In 2009 I produced a shot of buoys that I especially like for the light, with accompanying text about simplifying compositions. 2010 found me in King's Lynn, a good place for photographing buoys and waxing lyrical about bright colours. In 2011 a black and white photograph of buoys accompanied a piece about alternative voting and the folly of our electorates rejection of it. And, the same year "Foul buoys" was the title of a piece where I noted my discovery of why the word "FOUL" was written on yellow buoys.

Today's photograph is buoys once again, and from King's Lynn too, though this time only a detail. What was it about this detail that attracted me? Well, the battered yellow paint and brown rust, the result of prolonged exposure to salt water was sufficient draw. However, it was the position of the two heavy metal loops that made me take the shot. And the way the steel cable was threaded through them to keep them fixed to the quayside. It reminded me vaguely of the ying yang symbol; two similar and complementary forms interlocking, or at least related one to the other. I hoped that a tight composition would emphasise that feature and deliver enough interest to make the photograph work. I think it does.

photograph and text © Tony Boughen

Camera: Nikon D5300
Mode: Aperture Priority
Focal Length: 60mm (90mm - 35mm equiv.)
F No: f8 Shutter
Speed: 1/100 sec
ISO:180
Exposure Compensation: 0 EV
Image Stabilisation: On

Bad whole, good detail

click photo to enlarge

It's a paradox of many man-made structures (and a few natural ones) that something that you dislike as an overall piece may well have details that you appreciate. Take automotive design. I've never been a great fan of Jaguar styling yet I've photographed bonnet and front details of the marque on more than one occasion because they appeal to me. Or how about contemporary architecture? The development near Tower Bridge in London with the ridiculous name of More London was justly short-listed for the 2007 Carbuncle Cup, an annual award for bad architecture, but I've taken a few photographs of the buildings' details that I really like.

The other day in London I entered a new building and noticed that the ceiling in the foyer above the receptionists' desks had sheets of undulating, perforated, reflective metal fixed to it. I can only assume that it was a styling feature though I suppose it may have fulfilled some acoustic purpose. My immediate thought was, "That doesn't work." In a very impressive and elegant structure this detail looked cheap by association. By that I mean it reminded me of foil covered cardboard packaging of the kind that is sometimes used in a vain attempt to "lift" the appearance of the contents of the box. But then I looked closely at the reflections that changed as I moved beneath it and I saw something that interested me. This photograph of a small part of the expanse of metal has a semi-abstract quality that I like. I rather regret not taking a shot of the whole of the location for comparison purposes, but I was pushing my luck getting this shot, and I think the receptionists might have taken exception to my camera being pointed at them rather than up at the ceiling.

photograph and text (c) T. Boughen

Mode: Aperture Priority
Focal Length: 47mm
F No: f7.1
Shutter Speed: 1/40
ISO: 2000
Exposure Compensation:  -0.67 EV
Image Stabilisation: On

Too many guitars

click photos to enlarge
As I was sitting picking at one of my guitars I decided it was time they featured in a photograph or two. The filtered light through my study's vertical blinds was throwing repeated lines on the polished sound board so I tried for a shot that included those lines as well as the lines of the six strings. But, whilst it was easy to see and imagine the shot as I sat there idly working through my musical repertoire, it proved much more difficult with the camera to my eye.

I found that the shot I wanted couldn't be composed with the lenses at my disposal. Everything was fine if I wanted all the reflected blinds - a big, light rectangle - but as soon as I tried to isolate part of the reflection along with the sound hole and the strings the reflection lost its sheen and the composition its force. So I decided to try for two shots with shallow depths of field that included the sound hole and strings, one from the fingerboard end, and the other from the bridge. I'm reasonably pleased with the outcomes.

By the way, what is it that makes men end up with more guitars than they need? I have the Yamaha classical guitar that I bought when I first began to learn the instrument, an Epiphone steel-strung folk guitar that I got to replace a second-hand one that I bought then sold, an Ovation electro-acoustic guitar with a moulded fibreglass bowl-back, my son's cast-off electric guitar that I was given after we'd bought him a Gibson Les Paul Studio, and a bass guitar (a copy of the Fender Precision Bass). I really shouldn't have kept most of the guitars I've accumulated during my life and need to think about getting rid of a couple and reducing the clutter.

photographs & text (c) T. Boughen

Camera: Olympus E510
Mode: Aperture Priority
Focal Length: 14mm, (28mm/35mm equiv.)
F No: f3.5
Shutter Speed: 1/20
ISO: 100
Exposure Compensation: -0.3 EV
Image Stabilisation: On