A well used ditty bag sits as an example of how it’s done during the Ditty Bag Workshop held at the Waterline Center of the Essex Shipbuilding Museum in Essex on Sunday morning. KIRK R. WILLIAMSON/ photo. 3/31/19
This past weekend I had the chance to photograph people making ditty bags to hold their sailing tools. I wish I had been able to stick around for the end but it was still fun talking with people and learning why they were making these canvas bags meant for holding tools used by sailors for eons.
The Ditty Bag Workshop held at the Waterline Center of the Essex Shipbuilding Museum in Essex on Sunday morning was a big hit as a large group of participants joined in to make their own ditty bags. KIRK R. WILLIAMSON/ photo. 3/31/19
I’m always looking for an interesting angle to give an overall and this was it. The Waterline Center at the Essex Shipbuilding Museum is a great place with all sorts of cool things, like boats hanging from the ceiling.
Susannah Winder directed the Ditty Bag Workshop held at the Waterline Center of the Essex Shipbuilding Museum in Essex on Sunday morning. KIRK R. WILLIAMSON/ photo. 3/31/19
Susannah was doing a great job of helping everyone out and in the photo above was talking about how the ditty bag is stitched together.
Steve Jones works on his sewing skills during the Ditty Bag Workshop held at the Waterline Center of the Essex Shipbuilding Museum in Essex on Sunday morning. KIRK R. WILLIAMSON/ photo. 3/31/19
Steve and his friends were making do sewing for canvas for the first time and having a great time doing it.
Caitland Peterson, age 12, left and her mom Bethany Peterson work on sewing a seam during the Ditty Bag Workshop held at the Waterline Center of the Essex Shipbuilding Museum in Essex on Sunday morning. KIRK R. WILLIAMSON/ photo. 3/31/19
Caitland and her mom Bethany were going through the sewing process together and having a ball doing it.
Christopher Campbell, left, and Janelle Bannon work on seeing their ditty bags during the Ditty Bag Workshop held at the Waterline Center of the Essex Shipbuilding Museum in Essex on Sunday morning. KIRK R. WILLIAMSON/ photo. 3/31/19
Varying between wide angle and tele long shots breaks up the perspective and gives the viewer a different look at virtually the same thing. I wish I could have stuck around to see the finished product to really end this story.
Lobster boats sitting at their moorings on a chilly windy morning in Rockport, MA.
In my journey switching from Canon to Fuji I have been slowly buying lenses. It’s a long haul selling off gear and purchasing new or used gear. I had been struggling with the fact that I did not have a long lens for the X-T3 yet and it was a struggle at times having to use my Canon 70-200 and 7D Mk ll instead of a Fuji lens.
A friend, John Barclay, who has been using the Fuji system for quite awhile suggested the Fuji 55-200. I was hesitant to even test it out because it is fairly slow and is a variable aperture lens. I’m a part time photojournalist so I was thinking I needed the 50-140 f2.8. Since I am transitioning to teaching workshops and shooting more landscape/travel work this lens was suggested instead of the 50-140. I will still own this lens but not at the moment.
I started looking for the 55-200 used on Fred Miranda’s site. I did find one after missing out on two of them. It was only $445. WHAT! Yes and in mint condition. It sells new for $700. It just so happened that I was on my way to an assignment when I picked it up. So outside the assignment I opened it up and brought it inside with me to shoot some images.
Jim Parks of Wingmasters talks about the Eastern Screech Owl to children at the Plum Cove School Monday morning. KIRK R. WILLIAMSON/ photo. 3/5/19
I was immediately blown away at how sharp this lens at 134mm (202mm equivilent) @f4.4. Incredible performance at ISO 2500 1/125s. So this got me thinking I could pretty much use this lens for more assignments even though it’s kind of slow.
Mike Lattof gives instructions to GHS athletes during the Gloucester High School off-season running and conditioning program Saturday morning. KIRK R. WILLIAMSON/ photo. 3/9/19
I was wondering what it was going to be like inside of a dark gym and I was not disappointed. It performed incredibly well. Now let me say that in the situation above I would probably have used the 50-140 if I had it but I was pleasantly surprised by what this little beauty can do.
Father son hockey game
In this situation I needed to shoot both ends of the rink instead of at ice level which is what I usually do. Again the lens was great. The autofocus was right on the money!
Gloucester High School Senior Robbie Horne hits a forehand during the first day of practice. KIRK R. WILLIAMSON/ photo. 3/18/19
Shooting against the light with my Canon 70-200 is incredible no ghosting no flare perfect. So I had no idea what this lens would do. It matched up really well with the Canon giving me great contrast and shadow detail along with great autofocus performance. This image was made at 1/1250 @ f4.2 so wide open.
Next I needed to see how it would do for landscapes and again I was surprised at the color rendition and sharpness of the lens.
Early morning light can be a challenge. Deep shadows etc.I love the way this file converted to B&W. The original file in color is beautiful and again extremely sharp.
Overall I am really pleased with this lens. The biggest reason I purchased it is because it will be a great lens to travel and hike with when doing my workshops. For a little day hiking etc. and for working with students. My kit will be the Fuji 10-24 f4, 55-200 f3.5-4.8 and possibly the 16 f 1.4 along with the X-T3 and the X-T30 or I may leave the 16 out although it focuses so close it’s almost a macro lens.
Here on Cape Ann with have a schooner festival every year. It’s a grand affair and it harkens back to 1928-1939 when schooner races happened regularly. This year the schooners Columbia and Bluenose 2, both replicas, one brand new and the other recently completely refitted visited Gloucester for the occasion. I was lucky enough to ride out to greet them on the schooner Ardelle. It was an incredible experience. Both schooners are magnificent.
The schooner Columbia sails by Niles Beach in Gloucester shadowed by a small Herreschoff designed sailboat.
When photographing sailing yachts it’s helpful to keep in mind some loose rules. If the yachts are large you need to show scale or their majesty is lost.
The schooner Bluenose 2 before entering Gloucester Harbor
Try to shoot with a long lens to compress the field of view and only include a portion of the sail area. If you can see people on board it also adds scale.
The bow of the schooner Columbia crashes through a wave.
Showing action also helps to give a majestic view to large sailing yachts.
The schooner Columbia enters Gloucester Harbor.
Adding context to the image gives the viewer a sense of where the yacht is. I was lucky here as as the schooner entered the harbor and we were behind and to the side which gives us some context with this image.
Passengers aboard the schooner Ardelle watch the Bluenose 2 sail by.
I also chose to tell a story by using a 21 mm lens and showing the passengers on the schooner I was on. Again showing context.
Schooner Ardelle owner Harold Burnham talks with passengers as the schooner Lynx sails by.
The 21 mm lens again pulls in another schooner going by and one in the distance all while the owner of the Ardelle Harold Burnham holds court at the bow of the Ardelle.
