Anchor Chain Photo

Photographer’s Note

I'm still at the edge of San Francisco Bay folks, but as you see the vista has been greatly reduced. I found an unlocked gate at a private marina in Sausalito and decided to ramble along the pier at the marina's edge. Here the largest boats are moored, the ones that couldn't possibly maneuver into the labyrinth of small docks and narrow channels of water at the heart of the marina. As I walked the pier the boats kept getting bigger and bigger.

At the far edge of the marina, closest to the open water of the Bay was a very large catamaran that looked sparkling new. I walked along its length to the transom where I noted the boat's name and its home port, which is St. Croix, Wisconsin, a small town across the river from my home state of Minnesota.

I walked back along the length of the boat again, when I noticed this opening in the hull. I decided to take a photo through the opening. Beyond the blurred foreground features you see the crisp detail of the chain used when the anchor of this large vessel is dropped.

When I spoke with the owner of the boat moored in front of the catamaran, I learned that this vessel had been built in New Zealand. Delivery was taken last spring and the boat had already crossed the Pacific Ocean to Alaska and then down the coast. It will winter in southern California before heading south through the Panama Canal, into the Gulf of Mexico and eventually up the length of the Mississippi River to its home in Wisconsin. I was impressed! Perhaps you are as well. Enjoy.

avis2avis, Michael_Gan, Proxilva, Galeota, nwoehnl, mdchachi has marked this note useful

Critiques | Translate

avis2avis (4244) 2004-09-09 1:44

Impressed indeed! Excellent use of DoF here. Very well seen and captured. Congrats on this super shot!

Michael_Gan (2772) 2004-09-09 1:58

You created a very nice demonstration of DoF in this picture, Curtis. Would be a good entry for the Scav Hunt. The sharpness of the chain and the rope in the background is impressive. I've experimented with similar "peep-through" situations, but never managed to get a satisfying result. But you did! Perhaps a little more space on the right and the bottom would also give a nice composition, bringing the opening more to the left upper corner, but I have to see it to be sure that I would prefer that.

travelyurt (276) 2004-09-09 2:31

Great capture and nice approach! I think the bottom is a bit too distracting, and might benefit from cropping. However, that is subjective.

paguru (1052) 2004-09-09 3:03

Amazing, clever shot! It really tricks the eye at first, until one manages to make out what it is you're showing. Your DOF control is excellent! Apart from that, I like the color composition with these different shades of gray and blue. Very nice one!

RGatward (19747) 2004-09-09 3:09

Back to your forte, and a really great idea, focussing through the loop. A favourite.

dom_inik_m (1707) 2004-09-09 3:18

What an intriguing early morning wake-up sight (according to my time zone, at least)! The thumbnail catches the eye, the full view puzzles. The fact that there's no real sense of scale is quite fascinating. I keep going up and down, between your composition and this text field, and still can't really fathom what your image really shows.
Before reading your note (and not really noticing the title), I thought it was a macro shot of something. Quite the opposite, in fact!
A marvelously abstract shot, Curtis, to say the least...

Proxilva (2157) 2004-09-09 6:12

cool graphics...it was quite a puzzle first but i got it now... very cold metal-tone...
peeking throught such holes in sail-ships I always hope to spot a bikini-girl, but i ques that's why you peeked throught this hole aswell huh... and then you found the big tatooed owner ;D....
cheers

eleparc (24059) 2004-09-09 7:17

curtis this is an interesting and intriguing shot! at first one has to think to understand the photo and then i look at the aesthetic side of it. i like this type of shot! congrats!

Galeota (10334) 2004-09-09 11:01

The work of an artist Curtis. Among your best IMO. (sorry for the lack of words, but I'm concentrating on what I should do to "think" about taking photographs such as this one...)

merpb (1970) 2004-09-09 13:14

Great quirky individualistic shot Curtis, I can't criticize only praise (and get jealous).
Great shot.

nwoehnl (120) 2004-09-09 14:21

Great one, Curtis - I like how it takes a while to be figured out by the viewer, and you have a very successful result of a creative impulse here. A twofold study of DOF as well as of metallic shapes and textures. Very good stuff.

sn00zie (2384) 2004-10-01 0:45

excellent use of DoF indeed. well captured Curtis

madhav (38) 2005-06-20 20:32

Great shot. Nice DoF. The shine on the chain and the hull express the mood and overall the slight bluish tinge around the metal blends well with the grey sky making for a pleasant viewing. Appreciate your choice of subject, angle of view and techniques. Thanks for sharing.

Photo Information

Copyright: Curtis Grindahl (cgrindahl) (6109)
Genre: Places
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2004-08-31
Categories: Daily Life
Camera: Canon EOS Digital Rebel, Canon 28-135 f/3.5-5.6 IS, SanDisk Ultra II, Hoya Super HMC 72mm UV
Exposure: f/10.0, 1/400 seconds
Photo Version: Original Version
Date Submitted: 2004-09-09 1:26
Favorites: 1 [view]