Taking On the Dark Side of the Harbour...

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

Until I took this particular trip I didn’t know how difficult it would be to take photographs on a moving vessel that occasionally also rocked in the wake of other passing traffic, in fading light and inclement weather.

Indeed at one point rain lashed the windows on one side of the boat whilst I took photos on the sheltered side but then there was the small matter of everything inside the boat being reflected in the windows I was photographing through, effectively superimposing an additional image onto the one I was trying to capture.

I discovered that by putting the camera lens as close to the window as possible (completely touching the glass was good) did manage to eliminate  the worst of the reflection  but sudden movements of the boat on several occasions produced a nasty sound as the lens smacked a little too roughly into the glass so I cringed an held my breath that my camera would still be in working order after the trip. It was, so I’m thankful for small mercies… but the protective lens cover / filter thingy probably will need replacing sooner than later as I’ve been giving it a fair share of abuse in the shape of knock and bumps of late.

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

Opening the door to eliminate the glass was completely out of the question, even if the rain didn’t get inside, the stiff wind and frigid cold certainly would have raised objections from other guests. Also not to mention that the door opened directly out to the side of the boat, and ego the dark sea we were navigating, so passengers opening to door whilst the boat clipped along at a very decent rate down the harbour would have instantly had the crew freaking out for very valid health and safety reasons.

The obvious solution was to come back in summer, when it would at least be daylight at this early evening hour and there was some chance (albeit slim if last summer was anything to go by) of clear skies and even sunshine.

I did my best and was most interested in the contrast of the many buildings who’s only common denominator was that they are visible from the water.

Centuries old buildings stand next to or in the shadow of ones that look only five minutes old, old factories, heavy industrial, light industrial, residential, the transport hubs of Central Station and the ferries, a catamaran ferry flies past us at breakneck speed, shipping vessels of all ages and shapes are around us… in motion or at rest,  commercial offices, public buildings and marinas too.

So many of them could easily deserve an entire blog post to themselves,  there is history, research and stories to find and tell, but that’s for another day because my work commitments at the moment are especially heavy and my free time is significantly reduced.

Let’s therefore take a tour on the dark side of the harbour… and see what we find…

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

(photograph © Kiwidutch)