Docking Adventures

One advice you always get about photography is to never underestimate the photo opportunities' potential of anything. Look around you! self-help handbooks would say, even everyday subjects can become the most wonderful picture. It's all in the eye - and the ability - of the photographer. No, I didn't quote any actual passage of any real book but that's the general drift. And, you know, they're probably right. I've seen amazing stuff with the most trivial things for a subject.

But there's one thing even better and that's going to a location that's interesting on its own, and start shooting. And anywhere on Earth has a place like that, and I don't mean weird places hidden in the woods right behind the schoolyard (yeah, yeah, I'm watching Buffy, alright?), but just regular, everyday places that are intrinsically interesting. Like the Docks.

My town has a fairly sized port, that used to be very important before the fishing industry got in trouble. It's still pretty active and has a growing touristic section, for leisure boating and the like. So on one arm you have fishing boats and ships, on the other sailing and motor yatchs. There's plenty of interesting stuff, for all kinds of photography, from macro work to wildlife (seagulls ;)

I went on a shooting spree a few weeks ago and this one on the left is probably my favorite shot of the lot. It's the tangle of ropes that keep the boats tied to the quay. Mostly I'm happy with me identifying this as a suitable subject. Could I be developing an 'eye' of some sort? Well, let's not get carried away here. Anyway, I made a gallery just for my "Docks" pictures and I plan to keep adding material.

On a cautionary note, photographing a port may slightly be against the law, just like with train stations and such. Details are fuzzy. But this last picture I think is comforting: the sign says "No Entry" but the place - it's the south pier of the harbour - is a tourist landmark and a regular destination for anyone going for a walk - the real kind I mean, not the "walks" people take when they run away and disappear.

There's a tacit understanding about this "no-entry" thing: the sign is there because it has to be but nobody is ever going to stop you. It's difficult to explain, it's one of those Italian things where the law is more of a guideline. So I think I should be able to keep shooting fish boxes, seagulls and people walking ;)