Challenge 3 - Behind the scenes

[thaddeus]

I thought I would share some of the shots I took as part of Challenge 3. I found the theme challenging - how could I find a perspective so different that someone would immediately think "that's a different perspective" when they saw the photo. I know that there are a lot better photographers than me on the board, so my main advantage for a different perspective was the helicopter. It was then a question of what I should shoot. I chose a prominent Sydney landmark, the Opera House, and thought if I could just get a photo from directly above, it would be quite an unusual perspective. I figured that it had the risk of being boring (almost like a plan view of an architect's drawing), so I chose to do it late in the day to get some nice long shadows.

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We headed east along the Parramatta River towards the Opera House. It's about 6:30pm, so the sun is nice and low behind us.
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Gladesville Bridge looked pretty drab from straight on...
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... but moving to a more oblique angle caught the light nicely and it took on a more majestic form. Click to zoom.
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If I could have got a little higher, got the full shadow and lost the helicopter skid, this might have been an interesting shot!
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Past Cockatoo Island
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Over the southern pylon of the bridge.
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I saw a ferry blasting past a boat, hung out the door and popped off a few shots. I liked the drama of the shot and thought that it showed two different perspectives of travel on the harbour from a third perspective. I didn't realise at the time that this would be the photo I submitted... I was planning to submit a photo of the Opera House!
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Looking back, the haze was really building up.
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I experimented with some detail shots of different perspectives of the bridge. I almost submitted this one, but it was a bit grainy for my liking.
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I popped up into Sydney airspace and took a few shots from there.
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Cropping this one down gives a very interesting effect. If you didn't know what it was, you'd be scratching your head! I almost submitted this cropped down version, but thought it was a little grainy.
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I then flew over the Opera House trying to get a perfect top-on shot. Let me tell you, it's very hard because there's a skid in the way. You have to bank hard to the right and lean out a long way to avoid the skid, but while the helicopter is banked, you're doing a sharp right-hand turn, so you can easily slam into an office building if you're not careful!
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I finally got the shot I was looking for. Sails perfectly aligned, exposure not too bad given that one side was flaring in the sunset and the other was shadow. It was a different perspective, but it seemed a little sterile, washed out and lacked impact. So I went with my gut feel and submitted the boat photo above.
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[Glen]

Thaddeus, great shots, really like the perspective. I actually thought your entry was the winner when I first saw it.

[Matt. K]

Nice work. Now how about an aerial panorama? Could be interesting?

[stubbsy]

Thaddeus

Your shot got me when I first saw it early on and I never wavered - I rated it no 1 (behind mine I must selfishly admit).

I'm glad you chose it over the opera house and agree with your reasoning. (and remember Utzon designed this building fantastically so its majesty could be seen from the ground. From above it's just another building)

Thanks for taking the time to post this detailed behind the scenes as it was an interesting read.

[phillipb]

Now this is a very interesting thread, I enjoyed reading this and the photos you took.
Well done.

[W00DY]

Fantastic post... I really enjoyed reading this description of how you got your shot.

Like Glen I thought your's would have won. I must admit I thought you captured the shot from the harbour bridge, if I had have know you were hanging out a helicopter I might have given you that extra point

Thanks for photographic journey of your day (or afternoon), beats my walked across the Cahill Expressway, leaned over and click

W00DY

[johndec]

I think you went with the right image to submit. I know this sounds weird but there are "textbook" different perspectives and "different" different perspectives (if you know what I mean ).

I think everybody threw away many predictable "different perspectives" before they settled on their entry.....

[kipper]

From above they look like 3 shelled animals, two parents and a child. That's my take on it.

[leek]

The third from last shot looks like the Opera House is sporting a mullet... Truly Australian...

[sirhc55]

From start to finish a fascinating journey - thank you

[Geoff]

Awesome documentation...thanx and well done Thaddeus. I too thought your submitted image would win!


Geoff.

[kipper]

Is it me or does the Silhouette versions of the Opera House look like some sort of wolf eating the pier/dock.

[ajo43]

My fav by far is the cropped version of the Opera House. Fantastic balance in the shot.

I understand why you submitted the one you did because it is so sharp and interesting but the Opera house is my pick.

[MHD]

THIS is the reason why I have no problem giving my time and bandwidth to this comp!

To think that the comp generates this much creativity is awesome... Love it Thaddeus!

[thaddeus]

Thanks for your kind words. I'm glad that not too many people thought I should have submitted a different photo!

[the foto fanatic]

From above they look like 3 shelled animals, two parents and a child. That's my take on it.

Yeah - like armadillos, maybe?

[boxerboy]

Great post, thaddeus. thanks for sharing.

Thanks for your kind words. I'm glad that not too many people thought I should have submitted a different photo!

I liked the ferry shot, but must admit the opera house with shadows is my favourite here.

cheers
Peter

[marcus]

WOW, these are great.

I thought your shot should be top 3 from the moment I saw it (pardon my ignorance but I'm not sure where it placed {hopefully top 3} I'm not even sure where I placed!). I don't really care or am concerned about that kind of stuff.

That being said I think the best photos should have been up there. I chose not to vote for two reasons:
1. It was too hard to do it...tried a few times but gave up.
2. Did'nt really want to vote for my own shot as in a limited field
I think you should not be able to do it.

Any way Bravo all the shots are fantastic!

[BBJ]

All i can say is WOW.

[Link]

Awesome photos! I especially love the shot of the Harbour Bridge with the haze and that long shadow... Truly a picture to print big and frame!

Link.