Waterlines

Posted by Stephen Phillips (San Francisco, United States) on 30 July 2008 in Abstract & Conceptual and Portfolio.

An archive film image from 9 December 2004. This image was taken with a Canon EOS Elan 3e w/ Canon 16-35mm L f/2.8 lens. Provia 100 transparency film - DiMage Scan. So far as I know the yacht is still at this berth in Sausalito, California.

[ another image from this same morning will appear here on 18 August ]

© copyright 2009 by Stephen Phillips Photography / San Francisco / www.joyoflight.com
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Comments (16)

~Kylie~ from Richmond, Australia

Stephen, this image is awesome... but it does my head in... where is the waterline? It's hard to make out what is reflection and what is above the line, which is why I love this so much.... I have been staring at it for ages trying to figure out the perspective, fantastic!:o)

30 Jul 2008 5:21am

@~Kylie~: Thank you, Kylie. It is very rare that San Francisco Bay is flat calm. As I noted above - I have another image from this remarkable morning scheduled to post here on August 18.

Mirko Herzner from Mühlheim am Main, Germany

This is a lovely - and optically a bit disturbing ;-) - shot, Stephen. I would have maybe tried to have part of the 'original' boat on top of the picture. Really strange! :-)

30 Jul 2008 6:29am

@Mirko Herzner: You're beginning to see that side of me, Mirko. It doesn't go away.

Vink from French riviera - Grasse, France

Where's the real boat ? Where's the boat reflection ? A original composition ! I like it !

30 Jul 2008 7:28am

dj.tigersprout from San Bruno, United States

wow! what a trip! it took me about a minute to figure out where the water lines were! beautiful shot! and such a great reflection -- marvelously done! bravo!

30 Jul 2008 8:30am

Paco Díaz from Palma de Mallorca, Spain

I have been looking at the image some time and it's really curious how you have framed it. Really strange and incredible reflextion on the water. It looks like a fragment of an Escher's trompe-l'oeil.

30 Jul 2008 9:41am

@Paco Díaz: Paco - I am a big fan of M. C. Escher, so your comment means a lot. Thank you.

Jason Kravitz from Brussels, Belgium

this is quite an optically amusing image - nicely spotted and captured!

30 Jul 2008 10:04am

Lorena from Fort Myers, United States

very good. I took me a sec to understand, but i guess thats the point. Are you still working with film or just digital? just curious!

30 Jul 2008 11:37am

@Lorena: Thanks, Lorena - I'm glad you appreciated 'the point'. In answer to your question - both - but more than 90% digital.

Michael Skorulski from Cigel, Hong Kong

I am with Mirko on the disturbing nature of this image, Stephen. I can see there is a reflection but find it very difficult to decide where the actual waterline is or whether the boat is lifted above the water.

30 Jul 2008 11:43am

@Michael Skorulski: Michael - the boat is in the water and the shadows hold the answer. It was the remarkable calmness of the sea that had me 'focused' on the waterlines everywhere around the docks here - and why this scene just kind of jumped at me.

Erik from Amersfoort, Netherlands

Simply perfect refection shot !

30 Jul 2008 11:59am

sherri from Little Rock, Arkansas, United States

Most unique. I like the pigeon or bird sitting there undisturbed:-)

30 Jul 2008 1:29pm

@sherri: Hey, Sherri - I thought the same thing at first. Our 'bird' is one of those flotation balls along a nylon rope. Not as romantic but there you are.

Carlos Palma from San Juan, Philippines

Love the composition! Inspired me to try similar approaches to different subjects!

30 Jul 2008 1:53pm

hugo poon from hong kong, Hong Kong

What an intriguing image Stephen!! Can't wait to see the other one!:-)

30 Jul 2008 2:03pm

Marcie from United States

Great reflections. Really intriguing image.

30 Jul 2008 4:59pm

yz from Budapest, Hungary

Very nice composition indeed. It took me a while to find the waterline :)

30 Jul 2008 6:50pm

Thomas Griffioen from Bocas del Toro, Panama

What a fantastic reflection Stephen! Great image!

30 Jul 2008 7:49pm

Francesc B. from région parisienne, France

Of course, this perfect reflection like a mirror disturbed our eyes, discovering your pic at first time... a little difficult to find the waterline, and this part of wood on the right contributes to mislead us…

31 Jul 2008 5:13pm

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