Sydney February 2013 (2 images)
Sometimes I like to wander around with camera in hand, in areas and along streets that I’ve walked hundreds of times before, but with the aim of seeing things anew, as if I were a tourist in the area for the first time. I find it helps to cultivate an appreciation for what might otherwise have been overlooked many times before. To help develop a photographer’s eye as it were. And so I found myself by the harbour (why must parking near the harbour be so expensive?) and taking a walk. I was looking around for things to photograph. It was a hot day and after a while I sat down and just watched the real tourists walking around taking their photos. I looked ahead. Do you see what I saw?
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Exactly! Without exception the tourists I observed would walk up to the fence and shoot over it. So I got up and knelt down in front of that missing section of the fence for about 5 minutes, just playing with different lenses and focal points trying to get a different point of view of the Opera House. And a few months later on a whim, I checked some of my old photos from a few years ago taken around this area. Guess what! That missing fence section was there before and I never noticed it. Maybe I do have a bit of a photographer’s eye now.
I don’t usually join in The WordPress Weekly Photo Challenge but since this week’s theme is about the unusual point-of-view, to be unusual, I thought I would. Kneeling in front of that fence, I guess the passers-by on that day probably thought that I was, ummm…. unusual. 🙂
Etcetera Etcetera Etcetera 
Neat photo – was it easy to remove? 🙂
Surprisingly easy. That’s why I always have a swiss army knife in my kit. 🙂
Great second image, really different. Now to head out and look at everything again.
Thanks. The trouble with being observant – it’s very time consuming. 🙂
Funny how you can look at something familiar and still not see a unique aspect of that place. Looking is passive – seeing is work, but so worth while. Nice rendering of the SOH through the “eye”.
Thanks. It’s part of the reason I go back to places I’ve already photographed before (when possible). There’s always something I didn’t see the first time.
Why we have been to Moab, UT five times…
I’ve been there before. Friends who think I have no life for revisiting the same places over and over again. Strangers who think I am crazy for photographing something lying on the ground 🙂
Great shot by the way! The oval fence frame remind me of old photo frames (especially since it’s monochrome).
Thank you. That’s the look I was going for. They may think we’re crazy but the desire to get that perfect photo is all powerful.
“It’s not what you look at, it’s what you see.” I do the “tourist eye” stroll as well and the results are always interesting. Nice piece, Dragon.
Yes, it’s a good exercise to engage in. It’s easy to look but harder to see.
indeed perfect click.
Thank you.
Both photos are nice. First one theoretically can’t be right, it is crossed with line of fence, but surprisingly it don’t disturb. It looks like one piece and do not divide the image. Other is embracing and cropping. Opera House and it looks like a knight with his lid. Never saw Opera House like that before. You helped to see it in different way.
I took the first image just to give a bit of perspective of how the second one was taken, but I’m pleased with both.
Many thanks. I appreciate your artistic eye.
Both photos are stunningly beautiful 🙂 Thank you for sharing them.
Thats definitely my favourite position and angle to take pictures 🙂
Occasionally, I try to get low for my shots. At least until the back pain sets in . 🙂
I just lie down. Or stay on all fours. Anything for a good shot.
🙂
Love that shot! I was out yesterday and took a photo of the mountains through one of the squares in a chain link fence … not because I have such an eye as yours, but because I couldn’t reach over the top! 🙂
Thanks for the lesson!!
Thanks. Improvisation leads to creativity. I did a similar shot as you’ve described at another location but focussed purely on the fence bars. Bokeh is nice. 🙂
That certainly is an unusual view of the opera house! Always good to think in the opposite direction to most, thinking like that will take you far – and create great photos of course!! 😀 Beautiful colours in that photograph, makes me feel like I’m standing there for real!
Many thanks Suzy. It was a hot sunny day and the colours were just vibrant.
Great spot – shows the advantage in just looking around and taking stock of what is there.
Thanks. I’m trying to be more observant.
It’s great when we can make observations and drastically improve the composition of our shots! Really nice image
Thanks very much. All part of the process of improving and enjoying one’s photography. 🙂
Wonderful. Your images are truly amazing, beautiful eyecatcher. Very nice to see the opera like this. Well done.
Thank you very much.
How wonderful these are!
I especially love the framing in the second one.
So nicely done.
Thank you very much Lisa.
Excellent! What a great image! Both of them!
Many thanks. 🙂
Nice shot! I’m heading to Sydney in 4 weeks, I’ll have to keep an eye out for that fence!
Thanks. “Hickson Road Reserve” just near the Park Hyatt Hotel.
I dislike that fence for blocking the Opera House and sometimes I dream of taking a portable table or ladder to get over the height 🙂
LOL 🙂
nicely framed 🙂
Thank you.
Besides the benefits of physical exercise, it is always worth experimenting with different camera angles. 🙂
Absolutely.
I can’t wait to see this in real life! I would REALLY like to sing there one day! That would be AMAZING!
I hope you get the chance to do so one day.
I will move the universe to make it so! That was so Picard. MAKE IT SO!
Aye aye. Ahead, warp factor 1.
lol glad to know I am in good company
Live long and prosper. 🙂
LOL!
I very much like your story and photo!
Thank you very much.
Wonderful shot! I have been to Sydney and saw the Opera House, but I hadn’t noticed its roofs are like seashells 😀
Sometimes, you need a bit of time to notice these things. 🙂 Traditionally, people say they resemble sails, but I think shells are a great analogy.
Beautiful!
Thanks.
At first I looked and looked and didn’t see what you saw. I lack a photographers eye, but after you explained it, I saw it. It’s amazing the little things we walk by or look at, and never see, because we were impatient? not keen enough? The photo is fabulous. I love it. By the way is that the Opera house, Oprah Winfrey’s final show was held? I remember Hugh Jackman zip-lining. Australia is truly beautiful. Have a fabulous weekend!
Yes, where Oprah had her last show. That day was chaotic (according to the news reports; I wasn’t there).
There’s so much detail in everyday life, we just don’t see it all.
I can relate, Lignum Draco.
Good to hear that. Thanks and have a good weekend.
Kneeling in front of that fence may just have expanded the passer-by’s perspective. I’ll bet they never noticed the missing piece either except for your use of it and may have even checked out the view that caught your eye. The start of a ripple – your bit to expand thinking.
Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. Thank you very much for your comment.
I fully sympathise with your comment about the back pain! Followed by the attempt to get upright again with some degree of grace. Worth it, though, for that second shot, which reminds me of peering through a port hole on a tall ship.
Thank you. It’s part of the reason why I’ve moved away from regular use of my DSLR. The weight on my neck and shoulders get a bit too much after a long day walking.
I have a photo buddy who has a knack for seeing and found a hole in the fence to shoot through while I was incorporating it in a different way.It keeps me on my toes. It is great that you had a reference to look back on.Keep having fun!
Many thanks for the comment.
Your framing through the “port hole” really does give the Opera House and its sails a majestic passage through the harbour!
You’re right, there is a bit of a nautical feel with the port hole of the fence and the sails of the opera house.
I’ve been feeling in a bit of rut lately, bored of photographing the same things around me. You’ve made me see that there can always be a fresh perspective if you’re prepared to look.
Yes, I do get a bit that way as well. Thanks for the comment. And congratulations once again. 🙂
Fantastic perspective. Very effective 🙂
Thank you.
Wow what a great perspective!
Thank you.