Micro 4/3 Angel passageing a lock

Mike G

All-Pro
Location
West London
Name
Mike Gorman
The narrowboat Angel passing through a lock in Islington. N’boats are 70 X 7 feet! Two of them can pass through the lock side by side.

LUMIX G9 + P Leica 12-60mm @ 1/800 f4.5 ISO200
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Mike,

I see that you invite critiques for your pictures, so I'm going to venture an opinion here ...

This image is supposed to show a boat in a lock. But for me it's all about the guy in the blue shirt. The strong diagonals lead the eye to him, he is placed at the intersection of thirds and he is brightly coloured to stand out even more. I find there's a fight for attention going on between the boat and the guy in the blue shirt, which I don't think was intentional (?)

Did you take any others where he is less prominent in the shot?

-R
 
Richard I agree with you, it was not intentional. At these festivals it’s difficult to get away from people especially on a lockside where people want to watch the operations of the lock! But you are right. I couldn’t get to the other side of the lock.
 
Richard I agree with you, it was not intentional. At these festivals it’s difficult to get away from people especially on a lockside where people want to watch the operations of the lock! But you are right. I couldn’t get to the other side of the lock.


Always the challenge of shooting on the go. I went to a car show a few weeks back and there was a particular car I really wanted to photograph but people kept getting in the way. I must have spent 15 minutes just trying to get a good, people free shot until I finally moved on.
 
Mike,

I see that you invite critiques for your pictures, so I'm going to venture an opinion here ...

This image is supposed to show a boat in a lock. But for me it's all about the guy in the blue shirt. The strong diagonals lead the eye to him, he is placed at the intersection of thirds and he is brightly coloured to stand out even more. I find there's a fight for attention going on between the boat and the guy in the blue shirt, which I don't think was intentional (?)

Did you take any others where he is less prominent in the shot?

-R
Thanks, that's all I see now ;-)
 
One didn’t have a tripod with one, and definitely not long on patience plus I wanted to meet up with my friend Ian!
I’ll be there next year and if anybody gets in the way, I’ll chuck em in the cut(Canal). :D

PS, sorry Luke just couldn’t resist that one.
 
Not to worry Luke, I don’t take things to heart. You were right Big Blue does get in the way, but as the narrowboat was rising I had no time even if I had thought of doing something, it would have been too late!
Anybody who posts pictures here is seeking advice and criticism.
 
{At this very moment I'm wearing a bright blue t-shirt and would be considered a "big guy". No where near as big as the guy in question but still "NFL Linebacker" big. I'm making a mental note to try to remember not to wear this shirt, or other bright colors, in tourist spots. Unless I'm back in Hawaii, then it's fair game.}


@Mike G Thanks for posting. :) We don't have canals like that in this part of the world (NE USA), at least not anymore, and while I'm aware of some the canal systems around the globe I don't think I've seen a canal boat before that long & narrow. Interesting stuff. :cool:

@Luke Thanks for posting the link to that tutorial, it looks like it'd be an interesting experiment to try! (y)
 
Kevin, the canals were almost always dug by hand by labourers known as “Navigators” hence the term “navvies”. In the U.K. narrowboats are popular as houseboats, some very luxurious and expensive. There are also “Broadboats that are 10” wide so plainly more roomy but restricted by not be able to pass through some locks.
My ancestors worked the canals when the boats were horse drawn!
 
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Away from locks, canals can be surprisingly shallow. There was no point in laboriously moving more material than was necessary when they were constructed, so often they are only just about deep enough for the draught of the boats that use them.

I saw a TV programme about canals a while back. The owner of a pleasure boat was asked (by some waterway official) what his procedure was if someone fell overboard. "I tell them to stand up and walk to the side," was the reply.

-R
 
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