They've gone!

[Doug Kerr]

At two ports of call on our cruise to Hawaii (Lahaina, Maui and Kailua-Kona, Hawai'i) the ship anchors out in the harbor and the travelers go to shore and back on tenders. These are actually fancy variants on the ship's lifeboats (and in fact they are used in that role as well, when necessary).

When we had arrived at Lahaina, I went out on the lifeboat deck to watch the launching of the tenders. Two on "our" side of the ship (port) were still being prepared, so I went over the the starboard side to see what was happening there.

When I got to the starboard side stations, I saw that the two tenders from there were already on their way, with their suspension cables hanging forlornly.

I grabbed a shot (leaning over the rail as far as I dared) just so I could look at the arrangement. But when I looked at the shot, I found it to be strangely attractive as (dare I say it) art.

I never gave any thought at first to "leveling" the shot to the horizon, but then I thought, well, I should see how it is that way. I didn't like it at all. So we see the image here essentially as taken (only some tone curve work being done to get what I thought was a nice visibility of the still-dark deck area).

Canon EOS 40D, Sigma 18-200 mm f/3.5-6.3 at 21 mm, ISO 400, f/13, 1/320 sec.

Full frame, downsampled to 23% of original resolution and sharpened.

 

[Kathy Rappaport]

Tenders

We have cruised pretty extensively. A favorite thing to do is take photos of the ships going in and out of port. The pilot boats are really amazing too. The ships are both moving the the pilot comes onboard with both ships moving!

 

[Asher Kelman]

With the lines vertical, the horizon will end up where it should be!

Let's see hoe the swell was doing!

Asher

 

[Doug Kerr]

Hi, Asher,

With the lines vertical, the horizon will end up where it should be!

I'm not sure what you mean. The lines were, at the moment, not vertical in earth space (owing to the roll of the ship and the suspension of the lines not being coincident with the ship's metacenter).

But here it is that way (based on the majority of the lines):

Let's see hoe the swell was doing!

Evidently, at this instant, the list of the ship was about 6.2° to the port (we are on the starboard side, looking forward in the shot), returning toward the starboard. The lines were about 1.2° from actual vertical.

Best regards,

Doug

 

[Asher Kelman]

Doug,

I'd imagine that the picture might give the feeling of the boats roll better by having either a perfectly horizontal skyline or moving it off further. Having it close seems like a photographic error. What do you think? I might also add an S-curve layer for the waves to increase their dimensionality in 3D and so balance the mass of the ship and reality of the power of the water.

Asher

 

[Doug Kerr]

Hi, Asher,

Doug,

I'd imagine that the picture might give the feeling of the boats roll better by having either a perfectly horizontal skyline or moving it off further. Having it close seems like a photographic error. What do you think?

Well, here I was just demonstrating what you suggested: "With the lines vertical, the horizon will end up where it should be!".

I didn't know what you meant by that. I guess you meant that doing that would make the horizon horizontal on the image. It won't (since the lines were not vertical in space).

I was just demonstrating that in this image, which has a fully didactic intent - it was not a proposed "finished work".

I might also add an S-curve layer for the waves to increase their dimensionality in 3D and so balance the mass of the ship and reality of the power of the water.

A good thought. Thanks.

Best regards,

Doug

 

[Doug Kerr]

Hi, Asher,

I might also add an S-curve layer for the waves to increase their dimensionality in 3D and so balance the mass of the ship and reality of the power of the water.

Here it is with a little S-curve on the water:

[Hawaii_F07555-04R.jpg]

Best regards,

Doug