Fishin' and Phonin', a photo from Victoria, East

Photographer's Note

You can sit here near the mouth of the Yarra River any day of the week, including Sunday, and watch ships leaving the Port of Melbourne stacked with containers. They pass under the Westgate Bridge then past 'The Warmies', where I was standing for this shot, and into Port Philip Bay, before turning right into the Southern Ocean bound for Fremantle, Africa or Europe, or left to head north into the Pacific Ocean and Sydney or Asia.

'The Warmies' is a channel of water made warm by the output of a nearby power station. It's a favourite fishing location for tailor fish which are lured into it by the warm water. The fishing and the boat ramp are little known outside the local community and keen fishing and boating hobbyists, but I like to go there to watch the shipping and let the dogs run free. I uploaded a shot from this location way back in 2008, when I had not yet made the connection between the power station's output and the strange name of the place.

On this occasion, I did not notice as I took the shot that one of the young men fishing was completely immersed in his mobile phone as the glorious form of the passing freighter loomed up only a hundred metres away. But that is what life is today for many people; jabbing away at a tiny screen in the hope of seeing something... something else... but what?

dta, snunney, besnard, ikeharel, Kielia, gildasjan, macjake, ourania, delpeoples has marked this note useful

Critiques | Translate

wolf38 (30) 2012-12-02 2:20

Hi Andrew. Here, a large container ship with cargo on the move. The angler in the foreground are a good contrast. The photo shows a lot of detail. Excellent composition, good light and colors, instructive text.
Best rgds, Wolfgang
... have a nice sunday.

yquem46 (38752) 2012-12-02 2:26

Hi Andrew
Impressive contrast between the huge boat and the tiny anglers
A clear image with natural colors and excellent definition
Have a nice sunday, cheers
Patrick

GiovanniG (3914) 2012-12-02 2:34

Hi Andrew,
Another one of your beautiful captures. The colors and pov are spot on. Bravo!
Warm regards,
GiovanniG

dta (98848) 2012-12-02 2:45

Hello Andrew ,
For most of us , this is a great spectacle , but may be that the young man sees that view every day , so , he 's more interested by its phone .
This is an excellent picture , perfectly composed , with a superb light and a splendiod sky as a perfect backdrop .
Regards

snunney (130967) 2012-12-02 3:27

Hello Andrew,
You seem to be an infrequent visitor to TE these days, so it always good to see one of your photos. I like the composition here and the pleasant mood engendered by the lighting and puffy clouds. There are a lot of graphical elements that contribute to the success of the composition. The two fishermen, one in shadow with his mobile and one in sunlight are a definite plus.

besnard (59196) 2012-12-02 5:09

Bonjour Andrew
Des p嶰heurs tranquilles qui vont surement subir les remous g幯廨廥 par ce mastodonte. Une image int廨essante avec la juxtaposition de deux mondes diff廨ents.
Bon dimanche.
Nicole

Kielia (24077) 2012-12-02 6:10

Hi Andrew,
a wonderful image of an interesting scene accompanied by an nice note. What will be the world without mobile phones? The image is very much to my liking as you can imagine!
Warm regards
Harriet

holmertz (102066) 2012-12-02 6:17

Hello Andrew,
Mobile phones are useful little things but have created needs that nobody had ever thought of 10-15 years ago. Personally I would have prefered to watch the slightly rusty ship passing by. The two anglers provide a good foreground and there is a good balance between the little "tower" (whatever it is) to the right, the ship and the bridge. And just for a change even the wires are nice to watch.
Kind regards,
Gert

ACL1978 (7511) 2012-12-02 6:32

Hi Andrew,

These massive container ships really are a sight to behold, as is their cargo when it is unloaded onto the dock. Amazing how much of the world's stuff is transported on ships and in crates just like these. Great view of one of these behemoths making its way from port, and the two men fishing anchor it nicely.

Andrew

gildasjan (43826) 2012-12-02 8:48

Bonjour Andrew
Une image bien compos嶪 avec ce porte-conteneurs et ici les conteneurs de teintes chaudes cr嶪nt cr嶪nt le bon 廦uilibre de couleurs avec la dominante froide de l'image.
Amicalement
gildas

anel (563) 2012-12-03 5:33

Hello Andrew,
Love to see boats and to go to ports, perhaps because we don't have the sea around here. I also read your note with pleasure. Like you I ask myself why people get so much absorbed by mobiles, instead of looking what's happening in front of them :-)
Kind regards
Anne

robmal (2439) 2012-12-04 1:56

Hello Andrew,
great shot with natural colors and good POV, fine composition with fisherman, well done.
Regards Robert.

rychem (72187) 2012-12-06 10:34

Interesting contrast between the heavy container ship and anglers in the FG, great bclarity and depth, well done
regards
Ryszard

daddo (28748) 2012-12-15 1:20

Hi Andrew. A philosophical angle this time regarding these anglers and modern homo urbanus in general.Soon the fish will be SMSing each other! The giant form of the freighter is intimidating and adds a dramatic note to the composition.Nice too how the men are in the shade yet the side of the ship is hit by the sun. A different Christmas for both you and me this year. Feels emptier. Regards. Klaudio.

macjake (98262) 2012-12-15 11:43

Hi Andrew
one of the great things i love about photography is how such large and small subjects can all fit into the same size box!
perspective means everything.
large contrasts in subjects.
and for sure a uniquely different view of Melbourne! hope to see more posts from you!
cheers
craig

ourania (51103) 2012-12-16 10:27

Hello Andrew,
I like very much the way you saw, composed and framed this scene creating firmness, scale, depth and excellent distribution of interest. Sea and sky make a delightful homogeneous backdrop against which all the elements of the composition stand out clear and well defined. Bridge, cables and fishing rods have created many little frames that have isolated certain elements of the scene. You've managed the light superbly. The boat starting its long voyage looks very interesting and impressive but the boys by the seaside probably see sights like this all the time. Congratulations and thank you!
All the best, have a lovely week,
Ourania

mkamionka (73500) 2012-12-17 5:07

Hi Andrew,
lovely composition. You have captured a nice contrast between the huge ship and the boys fishing. They make a great foreground.
Very well spotted,
M

delpeoples (60342) 2013-01-28 17:09

Gidday Andrew

Wow that freighter puts everything in perspective, and not just the scale of the bridge, and the boys in the foreground. You make such a poignant point about the lads and their mobile phones. I fear for some of them that in the rush to text or upload something to Facebook and the attempt to show everyone else what a great life they're leading; they're actually not experiencing the moment for themselves. Anyway, I'm glad you got to appreciate it - and to share it with us. SUperb crisp colours, sharpness and composition. The ship is perfectly positioned to show us just how large it is and just how small and insignificant we are.

Cheers
Lisa

PS: Hope you're ok with all the natural disasters hitting Aus at the moment!

jmdias (114360) 2014-04-26 1:40

Andrew

really a nice image , the big boat looks like to hit the fishers in the edge. nice use of elements, even the not so nice like. a compo beautiful and well done.

hugs

jorge