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Thursday, September 10, 2009

He Ain’t Heavy, He’s My Rudder

Looking For A Change Of Direction

Photograph copyright: DAVID McMAHON


Because the rudder of any deep-sea vessel is mostly concealed beneath the surface of the water, I jumped at the chance to shoot this image about six weeks ago. This is the Polly Woodside, a 19th-century vessel built in Belfast, Ireland, by the shipbuilders Workman Clark & Co Ltd.

A major landmark here in Melbourne, she was restored in the early Seventies, to be used as a museum ship for The National Trust.

This was shot on 17 July, on a sunny winter afternoon here in Melbourne. I could have pushed the lens through a gap in the wire fence, but I chose this composition deliberately.

By using depth of field to concentrate on the rudder and the stern, showing the vessel’s name, you can actually see the criss-cross of the metal fence in the immediate foreground.

This image might not have been as effective if I’d shot it on a cloudy day. Because of the bright, sunny conditions, the metal fence pattern shows up brightly as it reflects the strong natural light.

Visit MamaGeek and Cecily, creators of Photo Story Friday.

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