Big Bridge, Small Boat

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This is the lift bridge over the river at Port Adelaide, photographed in summer, 2008. It's almost visually humorous to see a gigantic bridge opened fully to allow through a tiny sailboat on account of the mast being a fraction too tall to pass under the closed bridge! It also nicely contrasts the weight of the industrial construction of the bridge against the relative delicacy of the boat: one built to work solidly through the generations, the other built for speed in a mobile element. The picture was taken from the Hart's Mill Waterfront area, at medium-high telephoto, and was simply a matter of composition, the bright day providing ideal conditions. Sharpened only. Fuji FinePix S5600, automatic. Image by Mike.

Thebes, Down under

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You see the most surprising things when you least expect them. All the times I've walked down Comercial Rd., Port Adelaide, I've done so on the west side. I walked down the east side once and saw this to the west: a building rendered in perfect, classic Egyptian architecture! The groundfloor fronts the street and is shops, there is nothing to tip you off, but around the corner, off the main road, the facade opens out into its Egyptian style. I'm not positive what this building is, going by the crest over the door it's a Masonic hall, or at least was originally. There is probably a great story behind it! It's probably pretty old, but certainly post-dating the Egyptian phase of the romantic revival that saw obelisks appear all over early 19th century cemeteries of Anglo-derived cultures (e.g., Australia, the United States). Whatever its origins, this building is a remarkable landmark in Port Adelaide. The photo was a technical no-brainer, frame and shoot, and enhancement was no more than a 5% sharpen. Fuji FinePix S5600, some telephoto. February, 2009. Image by Mike.

Chrome, by Indirect Light

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The reflective properties of surfaces interact with the light falling on them in amazing ways, creating effects from subtle to outrageous. Here the effect is soft while the subject matter is hard: the polished chrome components of a motorcycle engine. This was a late-model Harley parked by the curb outside a pub at Port Adelaide on a bright day of blue sky and strong light. The indirect light brought up the blue tones and the chrome subtly reflects the bike's surroundings. The subject matter has the fascination of the machine, with its human-made symmetry and suggestion of assertion of the conscious will over the randomness of natural forces, while remaining subject to them for its very existence. The light which dresses the scene is a signature of that nature. Fuji FinePix S5600, automatic; February, 2009. Image by Mike.