Critique Welcomed Bega Clock Tower

[Stevenson Gawen]

I took this yesterday on a 15 minute stroll while waiting for my pizza.
Bega is about a an hour and a half drive east from me - and I more often go north. So I don't get here as often as I might. Not really a photogenic town to me, overall, but I quite like a few of the shots I came away with. I may change my mind.

Shot with my 17 year old Pentax K10D and Sigma 70-300. Somehow, getting images I like seems sweeter with this camera... but that's just me.

Annoyingly, some frames in the pano show some camera shake under closer examination. I have wondered whether the SR (shake reduction) in the K10D (it was one of the first SLRs to have in-body stabilization) might be playing up.
But it might just be that I've been spoilt with newer gear and need to pay more attention to shutter speed and focal length!

 

[Pete Askew]

A very interesting portrait of a town, especially to a European eye I find. Many of the elements are familiar, but overall you can tell it is somewhere else. Interesting (and I like the colour palette).

 

[Stevenson Gawen]

A very interesting portrait of a town, especially to a European eye I find. Many of the elements are familiar, but overall you can tell it is somewhere else. Interesting (and I like the colour palette).

Thanks Pete! That's nice to hear. I'm thinking of doing a few more of this kind of shot at other places more or less local to me. I think the thing is to disregard the fact that (to me) it seems boring when I'm there. Funnily enough I like it more as a photo. ;-)

Glad you like the colour pallet - it's mostly from a film emulation LUT called Fuji Superior 1600 3+.
I don't know that's meant to be accurate - but I like it.

 

[Pete Askew]

I think it is interesting to photograph the familiar sometimes. Not only does it allow others to see a different 'normal', but often, as you say, you find that the images you create are somehow transformative. Another option is to focus on those details that make places familiar in isolation of the whole.

 

[Len Philpot]

@Stevenson Gawen as you know I found this image interesting when you posted it on PIXLS. Lots to see, lots to discover.

I wish I had the ...nerve... -- for lack of a better term -- to do (quasi) street photography. I'm just too self-conscious. In fact, I kind of cringe when a stranger speaks to me while I'm shooting. I'm not misanthropic, I just find it awkward. However, as you've probably noticed once I get to know someone (virtually or personally) I tend to never shut up. Behind the camera, I guess I feel like I have to somehow implicitly 'justify' what I'm doing so that folks won't even take a second notice. Yet another reason for the solitude of landscape photography!! LOL

There's a (probably over-imagined, but still non-zero) chance that I could get myself into at least temporary difficulties if / when shooting publicly. Particularly since 911 in the US there's obviously been much heightened scrutiny of public behaviors, which has spilled over into other areas. For example, I once had someone suggest I go to a local city park to shoot. I was thinking, "Hmm.... an older guy with a big* camera, watching folks come and go, watching kids play, shooting photos... Now there's a way to draw some interest from the local constabulary!!" Also local violent crime has been up in the last couple of years, so law enforcement is extra vigilant. I suspect it's not the best time ever to be out with a camera in public, but I may be wrong. At any rate, I'd rather not find out the hard way.

* Even my consumer tier DSLR / lens is considered "big" by non-photographers

 

[Stevenson Gawen]

I wish I had the ...nerve... -- for lack of a better term -- to do (quasi) street photography. I'm just too self-conscious. In fact, I kind of cringe when a stranger speaks to me while I'm shooting. I'm not misanthropic, I just find it awkward. However, as you've probably noticed once I get to know someone (virtually or personally) I tend to never shut up. Behind the camera, I guess I feel like I have to somehow implicitly 'justify' what I'm doing so that folks won't even take a second notice.

Mmm. I can relate to that. I'm a bit of an introvert in some ways, and definitely feel awkward in some situations. Mild social anxiety covers it I think. Asking anyone if I can photograph them is always a challenge. (so I don't do portraits!).
I'm finding that the key is to convince myself that: A I'm doing a job, B I'm allowed to, and C, I don't care what anyone else thinks!

That sounds a bit weird... an example might help.
Picture yourself getting out of your car, and walking down a busy street. You stop at the entrance to a supermarket, open your bag, pull out some tools and start dismantling the sliding doors! Seems to be just asking for trouble right?

But if you were a door technician, a tradesperson (or tradie as we say) who'd been called to put the door right (it had been misbehaving!) you would do exactly the same thing and no-one would bat an eyelid, least of all the tradie. They generally don't give a * in my experience.

Of course, that has the advantage of a van with the business name on it, and probably a high-vis vest, but I do believe that a good chunk of it is just to do with attitude and mindset.
Anyway... bit of a lame example tbh, but it expresses my thoughts to some extent.


I had an interesting experience when I was at the Bathurst 1000 Supercars race. I hold media accreditation with the national motorsport body. but that doesn't count for much with this event - you need a special pass (hard to get).

A friend had given me a spare (normal) ticket to the event, which was actually why I was there. She agreed to meet me just outside the main entrance and give me my ticket (I wasn't able to collect it before the event for a couple of unrelated reasons) and sent me a Google Maps pin to meet at.

Anyway, when I arrived at the event I donned my usual 'MEDIA' vest and made a beeline for the meeting point. I stumped along happily, nodded cheerfully at a security guard, who smiled back as I passed - two chunky DSLRs swinging from my shoulders - and presently arrived at the exact location.
I waited for some time... and presently got a call from my friend who asked if I was here yet... I said "I've been here 20 minutes!" Cue confused sounds from both parties... Anyway, turned out I was 20m inside the main gates, just round the corner, and she was outside - with my ticket!

I guess the moral is that if you think you're supposed to be there, others will think that too. Sometimes.

Don't tell anyone, but encouraged by this accidental incident I actually bluffed my way past a couple of "VIP and official media only" checkpoints with nothing more than a preoccupied air and a nod as I hurried past...

I try to apply the same kind of thinking to my street-ish photography - I'm doing my job documenting something. End of story.
Having said all that... country Aussie towns are fairly laid back and crime is fairly low, at least round here. I'm sure that helps a lot.
There you go... a lot of paragraphs trying to express a simple concept. Good thing I'm not a writer...

 

[Len Philpot]

I guess the moral is that if you think you're supposed to be there, others will think that too. Sometimes.

Years ago I heard the advice that with a hard hat, flashlight and clipboard (now probably make that an iPad), you could pretty much go wherever you wanted.

 

[Martin Scharnke]

Not really a photogenic town to me, overall,

Maybe not the town, but - if I recall my directions correctly - turn left at the clock tower, then right at the end of the main street and over the bridge, and on the right you will find the Bega Cheese Factory and museum.

Thanks for sharing your street-photography philosophy and your Bathurst experience.

 

[Stevenson Gawen]

turn left at the clock tower, then right at the end of the main street and over the bridge, and on the right you will find the Bega Cheese Factory and museum.

Absolutely correct. And I'm slightly ashamed to say I've never been inside... classic example of ignoring local points of interest just cos they're local.
I'll have to try and remedy that!

Although, where cheese is concerned, I personally I prefer eating Cheer to Bega Cheese. Cheer was until recently called Coon... some kind of "political correctness" issue there unfortunately. Didn't affect the flavour though.

 

[Len Philpot]

Although, where cheese is concerned, I personally I prefer eating Cheer to Bega Cheese. Cheer was until recently called Coon... some kind of "political correctness" issue there unfortunately. Didn't affect the flavour though.

In the US there was a very sharp (and IMO very good) cheddar from Kraft called Coon Brand. It disappeared several years ago, probably due to PC pressure.