HMS PANDORA

[Greg Beetham]

Had a quick look over at the museum today and took a pic of the HMS Pandora display (part of it), for anyone who doesn't know it's the frigate that was dispatched too arrest the Bounty mutineers, which they did, but struck a coral reef to the north of here and sank with some loss of life, (someone may have forgotten too unchain some of the mutineers). There's quite a collection of items in the museum from the wreck site, including some cannon.
It's all straight out of the pages of Hornblower, I thought some of you from the UK (history buffs etc.) might like it. (I do, fascinating stuff)
The pic is of the full size reconstruction of the bow section, and the cutaway view on the far side.

Greg


Might as well toss in a cannon as well, just too add some grunt.

[aster]

Hi Greg,

I'm very close to where cannons are displayed at the Naval Museum in Istanbul, therefore the third subject is only to familiar in my everyday life, but the first and the second shots are really nice in that they are very descriptive of how the HMS PANDORA functions on one ordinary sailing day at sea. Also we have a TV series titled Hornblower here which makes this photo subject matter all the more interesting to me personally.

Could you also speak of the camera and the lens you shot the interiors with please? The interior seems to be lit well...by ambient light or otherwise.

Thanks for sharing,
Yildiz

[Greg Beetham]

I'm sorry Yildiz, completely forgot, (E6 seems to not save the metadata when images are resized for the web).
I decided to take the KM5D for a bit of an outing, I still love that camera.
the lens was the KM17-35 f2.8-4.
ISO 400, A mode, 1/40sec @ f4, lens at 17mm (no flash used)

I don't think I got the WB quite right, I didn't see any lights on anywhere, there was a lot of light being reflected in from some light transmitting areas in the roof-ceiling and also from the glass windows over on the left (the sun was overhead at the time) so I set the WB for shade +2, maybe +1 might have been better, also I wasn't sure if those light panels in the roof transmit correct sunlight or not, hard too judge that without a colour meter.
Greg

[aster]

Thanks Greg,

The 17-35 F2.8-4 is a remarkable lens for its price range. I like it more everyday with the sample photos that I see.
The museum lighting is designed as all museum interiors should be: indirectly, so natural direct lighting wouldn't degrade the materials of the exhibits. That's why I appreciated the lighting, which gives photo shooters a good photography opportunity. Almost all details can be seen evely lit without the dark spots which an unsatisfactory lighting emposes otherwise...

Thanks again,
Yildiz

[bossel]

Some nice compositions! I am sure you made many more great pics. Only I feel they're not sharp, but maybe they're too heavily compressed?

[Birma]

Very interesting pictures Greg - the 'scale' is especially useful in #1. If you like Hornblower you must try Patrick O'Brian's Aubrey and Maturin series. Historically interesting adventure on the high seas - and a good geography lesson as well. I can't recommend them highly enough.

[David Kilpatrick]

That was a big vessel. If you ever get a chance to see the TINY ships which Columbus used to cross the Atlantic, you would be amazed. Photography is not permitted in the museum in Gran Canaria (Columbus's lodging place before departing, the Casa Colon) or I'd have some kind of shot to post.

David

[Philip]

Here's a photo of a replica of the 'Matthew', docked in Bristol, where it was built. It's the boat John Cabot used to sail to New Foundland in the fifteenth century. The replica made the voyage about ten years ago. The Matthew makes voyages round the coast on a regular basis and believe you can even hire it for parties etc.

Philip

[aster]

Hello Philip,

This is a very nice ship! I'm sure a photo taken of the prow would be just as nice...you probably have one I guess. Lovely wood structure..

Thanks for sharing,
Yildiz

Here's a photo of a replica of the 'Matthew', docked in Bristol, where it was built. It's the boat John Cabot used to sail to New Foundland in the fifteenth century. The replica made the voyage about ten years ago. The Matthew makes voyages round the coast on a regular basis and believe you can even hire it for parties etc.

Philip

[Greg Beetham]

Thanks guys,
I remember the topic came up once before (early sailing ships) so I thought while I had a moment I'd get a happy snap of the Museum display so you could see what I was talking about.
I'm not sure if you could judge the 17-35 on those images, widest zoom at f4 is not doing it any favours (the light level on the exif was listed at 2.75, the light was ok as far as non directional goes but not what you'd call overly bright) and camera jpeg's reduced in quality by 85% and on APS format as well, the big problem was there was no way to get far enough away from the subject to reduce the depth of the subject as a proportion of the distance, FF would be better, (much wider view) and on a tripod at f8, that way one could get more than half of the bowsprit in the photo at least.
Thanks Birma for the suggestion, but I find it hard to read these days, my eyes get tired, I never even seem to read all of a Scientific American issue each month, just bits and pieces.
David, it's a pity you couldn't have smuggled a leetle camera in, or "shudder" used the phone cam somehow, those Columbus ships sound interesting, insane for sure, but interesting.
Love that pic of the 'Matthew'.......those early explorers were definitely certifiable
Greg

[Philip]

Thanks Yildiz. The backdrop isn't too good, but here's a view of the prow anyhow......



Philip

[aster]

Well, I cloned out the backdrop in my mind and it looks good to me!

The best thing about photos is that they need not be over-artistic with all the rules applying to each of them. Sometimes the value is the subject only and that's what makes the photo worthy.

I like this photo as well because you have the prow, mast and the hull with lots of details in one frame. Now we know more of the ship..

Thanks
Yildiz