Good Hope

Good Hope, Skipool Creek, originally uploaded by Bay Photographic.

As a boat owner I am often dismayed by the number of vessels that are left to rot in boatyards, marinas, and on moorings. They can be seen all round the coast, and in many parts of the inland waterways. Once loved and cared for they have either outstripped someone's ability to maintain them or fallen on hard times through accident, gear failure or just old age. For some reason which is not entirely clear to me, I find this all a bit hard to take. Even though I have spent my adult life trying not to be a bizzom (though I have also spent much of it trying to find a use for the word 'bizzom') I can't help but find against the owners of these boats in the portable personal tribunal that I carry around with me. Why buy them if you don't want to look after them? Why not sell them if you're fed up with them? Preferably before its too late.
However, as a photographer I am eternally grateful to the same people. By all means, leave them to rot. Somewhere close to a car park and well above the high water mark would be best, but anywhere will do.
As long as the paint peels artistically and the wood springs apart in an attractive geometric pattern.
Much obliged. Don't know what I would do for foreground interest without you.

Riverdance

Riverdance, on Cleveleys Beach, originally uploaded by Bay Photographic.

This rather sparse frame, shot yesterday on Cleveleys beach, is the product of more than one set of parameters.
Frankly, I would have preferred to have been a little closer the the upturned ferry 'Riverdance', but the beach around the ship has been cordoned off and is patrolled by yellow jacketed security guards. So, after the complete failure of my best polite smile and 'Would it be possible to...?' I was compelled to shoot from afar.
However, the emptiness of the beach (apart from the rope that marked the cordoned off area) gave me the opportunity to try out my magazine cover shot technique.
Surprisingly little space is left on most magazine covers after the masthead and coverlines have been added and I have a feeling that the usual rule of thirds and foreground interest principles either don't apply, or if they do, they work in a different way.
Having been invited to submit a selection of shots to Lancashire Life as a result of my feature 'Bay Watch' in this months issue, I am now trying to see my viewfinder with the top fifth and bottom left quarter covered with text.
And its not as easy as I thought.