I walked out on the morning of the 26 March to a stunning morning in Koputai - Port Chalmers. Like most in the area, I thought "This lock-down is pretty good. I can breathe a bit and what a stunning day to be at home!' The last few weeks had been epic, dealing with interviews for a new staff member, and then managing the evacuation of 231 people from Te Pā Tauira, Otago Polytechnics Student Village. We are still managing 14 international residents stranded, that we have endearingly named our VIPs.
I thought of all the people that would be struggling. I have worked for many years in the tourism and outdoor industry and know many will have already been looking down the barrel of no work and lost income. Not to mention everyone else in other sectors! These are new times and finding a new norm is going to take a while.
Passionate about improving my photography what better project than to commit myself to two images per day to share. I have discovered the power of a good image can give others an insight into other worlds vicariously and can often lift people's spirits. It is artistry that shows others my observations and hopefully inspires others to develop their custodianship of their local areas.
Andy Thompson
For these two images, I used a rickety scaffold to climb up into a new position. It was precarious and as I swung onto the top platform I did wonder if it was going to topple. - Not a good start?
26 March 2020. 'Rise to a New Norm'
Canon EOS R, f/20, 1/125sec, ISO-200, 80mm (70-200, f/2.8), tripod
This image is all about timing. You have to be ready to catch the sun as it peaks. take several images, however, you will need your camera on a tripod. To get any starbursts your f/stop needs to be high, it will depend on the blades you have in your lens. This lens is not particularly good for this, but it is enough.
The composition is balanced by the pylons. Initially, your eye catches the sun, then wanders to these other landmarks. I used the rule of thirds to divide the dark hills with the sky.
26 March 2020. 'Rise to a New Norm'
Canon EOS R, f/20, 1/800sec, ISO-200, 200mm (70-200, f/2.8) hand-held.
The rule of thirds applies to this image. The sun is overbearing so I stopped the image down by 3. I liked the layers of the hills shades and the clarity of the pylon. I am drawn to the colours - with a dominant warm yellow.
Andy`s Photography Tip: ‘How to get Star Bursts’
Select a lens with a high number of blades. The more blades the more bursts you will be able to create. Ensure you use a high f/stop. f/16 - 22 will give you the best results.
Please put a comment or emoji below. If you have any questions pop them in the comments box below or send me a video with your questions via Facebook - keep taking photos and get out there!
Andy Thompson