A Fine Adjustment Photo

Photographer’s Note

A fine Saturday afternoon view of the old harbour in the Atlantic coast city of La Rochelle. One could spend all day wandering around the harbour area and find great scenes to photograph from so many angles. Which is more or less what I did.

Here, I was looking over a sluice gate controlling the depth of water in one section of the harbour. Beyond it and the moored yachts, one sees the white octagonal tower of the 75 metre lighthouse, with its green lantern. The lighthouse, still operational, is sometimes called the Rear Light, perhaps because two of the three towers at the entrance to the harbour were also used as lighthouses over the ages. Unusually, this lighthouse is located on a waterfront street, jammed between old houses and shops.

snunney, cherryripe, saxo042, besnard, Jean-Luc, mickyg, john_c, marknunnerley has marked this note useful

Critiques | Translate

snunney (35464) 2007-10-08 6:06

Hello Andrew,
A good pov and excellent lighting for this shot. I like how the opening sluice gates point into the picture and lead the eye accordingly. Superb colours and clarity.

cherryripe (19187) 2007-10-08 9:22

Hi Andrew
Great pov with good timing of the water coming out and the lovely group of boats and attractive buildings in the background. I like the green water too and the animated sky helps too.
Regards
Nikki
P.S. Certain French TE members are having fun because the Wallabies lost. Thank goodness I'm from Melbourne and not from Sydney so as not to take it to heart.

lgir (2845) 2007-10-09 4:50

Hello Andrew,

good POV with good colors and contrasts.
I like the composition of this photograph with the diagonal brought by the pontoon.

Best Regards

Laurent

saxo042 (16250) 2007-10-09 6:58

Hi Andrew,
There are many details in this picture thar catches the eye; the leaking sluice (or it is half open?), the orange jetty and roofs, the boats, the lighthouse and the clouds. All of these are put together to a very fine composition.
Regards
Gunnar

besnard (31064) 2007-10-09 7:52

Bonjour Andrew
Bon cliché avec un format bien choisi pour nous faire voir cette écluse avec l'eau qui jaillit entre les parois et la ville en arrière-plan avec les maisons colorées.
Merci pour le partage et bonne soirée.
Nicole

Jean-Luc (5488) 2007-10-09 8:21

Bonjour Andrew,
On a deux photos dans ce cliché, au premier plan la porte de l'écluse (avec l'eau qui jaillit) et à l'arrière le bassin fermé et les beaux voiliers!
Cette double composition est bien réussie.
Amicalement
Jean-Luc
PS: Ayant navigué dans cette région je sais que les lumières des différents phares sont alignées pour guider les voiliers qui accèdent la nuit par marée haute.

jemaflor (39759) 2007-10-09 10:24

Hi Andrew,
good timing et very well balanced composition, nice light to give lovely colours with this background.

mickyg (815) 2007-10-09 12:59

You have maintained interest through out the shot Andrew with good foreground interest and subtle mid ground using the yachts, then that gorgeous sky to finish off with .. my only nit is the frame as it seems a little dark and a bit overpowering for this wonderful capture

marknunnerley (2768) 2007-10-10 1:59

Is it because the lighthouse was built before the harbour was constructed Andrew. Nice composition you have used to show how thw water is held back in the harbour.
Best regards
Mark

mesutilgim (37268) 2007-10-10 3:18

Hello Andrew,
What a great shot ! Thanks for visiting my site and for your critics; but not least that this gave me the opportunity to visit your site and see those great works.
This one is specially amasing ; with the buildings and boats at the background and the gate controlling the water level.
Very good pov and great colors.
TFS and best regards
MESUT ILGIM

john_c (24635) 2007-10-10 7:37

Hi Andrew,
You caught the action of the water at the sluice gate nicely here, with good depth beyond. There is just enough light to appreciate the detail of the gates on the left especially. Good overall use of the vertical format. Cheers...later.
John

bazal (7898) 2007-10-30 0:40

Hi Andrew.
I dscover you gallery today and I must say that I'm impressed by your pictures. I decided to stop for a small while on this contribution because I really like the way you have composed it.
Furthermore, you have pushed the shutter at the very right moment to get this water going through the gate as it was closing. The contrast of colors, light and textures between the foreground and the background is very interesting.
Thanks for sharing!

testmaniac (12262) 2007-11-15 8:16

Hi Andrew, very nice photo with great POV and composition! You are capture interesting moment and very nice place.
TFS and regards,
Philip

Loic_bzh (7061) 2007-12-07 1:51

Hi Andrew,

nice sunny view of this little harbour... Nice colors (a bit too strong for me) and contrast. Congrats!

Cheers,

Loïc