Follow-up To My Post About Progress Hurting Photography

"Miss Barbara L" Tyler's Beach, Isle of Wight County, Virginia (click to enlarge)
Nikon Z7; 24-70mm f/4 S lens @ 38mm; 1/30th sec. @ f/16; ISO 100

Last week, I wrote a post about how never ending progress sometimes works against us as photographers.  In that post, I highlighted three local areas that, in the past, had been rich for photographic subjects and how progress has dramatically reduced the opportunities for making interesting images.  You can read it here.

As a follow-up, I have been asked if these places are no longer rich with possibilities, a) do I still continue to go back to photograph in the future, and b) if I do, what is there now to photograph?

The answers are yes, I will continue to go back for a few reasons.  Things change.  What I see today will most likely be different next time I visit and those things that are now present may disappear.  Also, I now find it more of a challenge to find and photograph things of interest as the easy, so to speak, images are now gone.  Third, I will look for new perspectives, details, extraneous subjects that I may have ignored in the past.  In other words, as I mentioned, the obvious images are gone.  Now I have to look a little more closely to find anything of interest.  I like "the hunt."

Google Map view of the little inlet on the James River at Tyler's Beach in Isle of Wight County, Virginia.  There really is not much to it, but often times you can find interesting subjects to photograph in these tiny, largely unknown places.
(click to enlarge)

As an example, since I've most recently visited the little inlet at Tyler's Beach on the James River in Isle of Wight County, Virginia, I thought I would post a few images from that trip.   These images are not as interesting in ones from the past, but they do record what I've found, the tools of the trade (wooden deadrise workboats) of those who work from there as well as recording things that are quickly disappearing due to progress.

For this little excursion I took my Nikon Z7 coupled with the 24-70mm f/4 S lens and just walked around casually and kept my eyes and mind open for anything that may make an interesting photograph.  

Note:  When looking at the image files on my monitor, I am repeatedly blown away by the rendering of an incredible amount of fine detail by the 45mp sensor, the colors from Nikon's color science and I can't say too many good things about the 24-70mm f/4 S lens.  A wonderful combination and just about as small and lightweight as my Olympus E-M1 Mark III with the 12-100mm f/4 lens attached! (Do I need 45mp?  Not really...)

This is about as interesting as it now gets in this little inlet.  As I mentioned in my last post, the county implemented new regulations, had the sunken and derelict boats removed and cleaned up the place.  That is generally a good thing for everyone but, for photographers, it reduces the possibilities of finding historically important subjects and interesting images.
Nikon Z7; 24-70mm f/4 S lens @ 36mm; 1/80th sec. @ f/8; ISO 64

Just a little different perspective.  I like the brief reflections as the gentle wind briefly died. (click to enlarge)
Nikon Z7; 24-70mm f/4 S lens @ 62mm; 1/50th sec. @ f/11; ISO 64

This is the first time I've seen this vessel moored at Tyler's Beach.  The name is very unusual for a Virginia boat.  Surry County is just to the north of Isle of Wight County.  Many of the names in southeastern Virginia have their origins in the UK.  (click to enlarge)
Nikon Z7; 24-70mm f/4 S lens @ 70mm; 1/80th sec. @ f/8; ISO 100

This was an 18,286 x 8032 pixel panorama stitched from seven 45mp images.  For you detail oriented readers that is a 146.8mp image.  I held my camera vertically and zoomed in to 70mm capture as much detail as possible.  There is an extraordinary amount of versatility to create other cropped images from within this one.  The image directly below is an example.  Even though highly cropped from the one above, there is a great amount of detail present. This technique is especially valuable when using cameras with fewer pixels.  (click to enlarge)
Nikon Z7; 24-70mm f/4 S lens @ 70mm; 1/100th sec. @ f/8; ISO 64; Shot in Manual Mode

A 7373 x 4288 pixel (32.9mp) detail cropped from the image directly above. (click to enlarge)

No, I didn't stand there and watch paint peel!  Lol.  But the texture, patterns and colors were interesting. (click to enlarge)
Nikon Z7; 24-70mm f/4 S lens @ 40mm; 1/40th sec. @ f/16; ISO 500

I'll even photograph the odd.  Painted pink, and I guess I'll make a stereotypical comment, I assumed it was originally created for women.  However, it was the only portable toilet  present so I suspect the pink color is really irrelevant.
(click to enlarge)
Nikon Z7; 24-70mm f/4 S lens @ 70mm; 1/20th sec. @ f/11; ISO 64

Again, I will photograph anything I see that appears to be unusual! (click to enlarge)
Nikon Z7; 24-70mm f/4 S lens @ 70mm; 1/100th sec. @ f/5.6; ISO 64

Not by any means are these great images.  But I make these images more to record what I find at any specific location rather than for impact or art.  I like to make a record of what is disappearing and what will shortly be gone from us, as a culture, forever.  For example, these wooden deadrise work boats are getting more scarce by the year.  They are unique to the mid-Atlantic coast of the U.S.  I suspect in less than 100 years they will have completely disappeared.  

Also, I just love getting out with my camera, wandering, hunting, finding things such as these and challenging myself to bring back something worthwhile.  And...it sure beats sitting at home during this pandemic!

Go!  Go out and photograph!  What are you waiting for?  Lol.

Join me over at my website, www.dennismook.com. 

Thanks for looking. Enjoy! 

Dennis A. Mook 

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