Author Topic: To how much trouble do you go to take a good shot?  (Read 5033 times)

Offline csaba

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To how much trouble do you go to take a good shot?
« on: November 23, 2014, 07:38:53 AM »
Do you just sit on the balcony sipping vine waiting for a ship to pass by? Or are you soaking up the sun on a beach with a nice cool pint, checking out the scene and taking shoots? Or maybe you go out to some windswept point a long drive away?
For me, I ride my bike about 20 min to the beach and sometimes wade about 1/4 mile out when the tide is low.
Cheers...

Offline pieter melissen

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Re: To how much trouble do you go to take a good shot?
« Reply #1 on: November 23, 2014, 07:46:46 AM »
I think where you are and how you get there is only one part of taking good shots. The settings of your camera in combination with the available light are also quite important....

Offline Tsarik Ruslan - Ship-Photo-Roster.com

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Re: To how much trouble do you go to take a good shot?
« Reply #2 on: November 23, 2014, 08:44:28 AM »
Hi!
Obviously there are two sorts of shipspotters: one (lucky guys) who lives in the vicinity of crowded ports or shipping routes and can take photo through the window, or just drive / ride / walk some kilometers to the stage - vantage point; other one who need to move hundred or even thousand kilometers to the stage; or who has no vantage points and have to squeeze through the barriers to get satisfactory shot.
And it's absolute disappointment to make a hard way to the stage and meet terrible weather / visibility, which crashes all your hopes to get a nice photo... but you do it again and again.
That's why I sense shipspotting rather as fighting with barriers, which are on the way to take a nice shot, than just a high quality photo, taken without any hardship.

BRGDS
Ruslan   

Offline SteKrueBe

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Re: To how much trouble do you go to take a good shot?
« Reply #3 on: November 23, 2014, 11:04:21 AM »
Hi there!
On the one hand, i am one of the lucky people who already have a job on and around ships. On the other hand, i do not want to just take random pictures of ships that enter or leaving during my watches. So, if I know that a ship that interests me in one of the ports nearby and i have a little time left, i'm going to drive around the area to take pictures.
All the best,
Stefan

Offline lappino

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Re: To how much trouble do you go to take a good shot?
« Reply #4 on: November 23, 2014, 01:37:01 PM »
I live where ships are born. So, that's a plus.
I also have a car. That's also a plus.
I also work around and on ships. That's also a plus.
There's also air travel available, so that's also a plus.

 ;D

And, if I need to get through a security for a good shot, then it can be something along the lines of "If you walk briskly in a pilot's uniform, you can go pretty much anywhere." (And the rumors that I have forged official port entry documents to get to ports are entirely fictional!)

...

But it is my other hobby that got me arrested a couple of times.  8)

Offline Tsarik Ruslan - Ship-Photo-Roster.com

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Re: To how much trouble do you go to take a good shot?
« Reply #5 on: November 23, 2014, 02:48:07 PM »
And I think seafarers which interested in shipspotting are the luckiest guys among us )
In my past life I was that guy. But now things got hard, as only few new ships are visiting my home port Vladivostok. The other nearest port is Nakhodka, which is much better, as it's becoming bunker hub. But it's about 200 km driving one way. And weather is always surprise...

Offline andrecas

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Re: To how much trouble do you go to take a good shot?
« Reply #6 on: November 23, 2014, 04:10:13 PM »
At my age I could use all the exercise I can get. Shipspotting, as a hobby motivates me to get out and walk. I live within 15 kms from a reasonably active seaport. Weather dependent, manage some OK shots. Others not so OK.   :-)
AIS a great tool. Occationally I catch ship(s) in/outbound and if timed correctly will (drive) to port for photo. Also, regularly park auto in city and spend up to an hour +,  walking around port looking for suitable photo op.
While travelling, always have my camera (albeit a puny one) with me. When visiting Vancouver regularly do a 360 of Stanley Park (That's a lot of walking from Pan Pacific Centre). Or cross harbour and spend some time in North Van.(Lonsdale Quay area,etc.).
Quebec City (I'le d'orleans) another great vantage point for ships. When staying on the Island will walk to the parking lot of La Goeliche and spend a considerable amount of time in the parking lot waiting for traffic to sail up/down river... Great stuff....     :-)

Offline simonwp

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Re: To how much trouble do you go to take a good shot?
« Reply #7 on: November 23, 2014, 07:59:53 PM »
To me it's all about the ship. If I've made a trip to a port to see a specific ship, or happen to see one when I'm at a port, I might take a risk and climb a fence etc to get a shot, but otherwise I take what I can, when I can, without taking any risks.

I'm lucky that I can enter my local ports as I do occasional volunteering for the local seaman's mission. I take shots when I'm there but only the easy to get vessels. I used to work in the shipping industry, both afloat and ashore, so that gives me a good back catalogue, as I took many photographs then. Nowadays I usually go to riverside or public places where there is no security. Fortunately where I live, and regularly travel to, there are plenty of such options.

 

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