Hunchbacks

The beautiful hunchback lampposts at St. Kilda Pier in Melbourne. This is one of my 30 second exposures - a series I am working on.

I have always been fascinated by the shapes of these lampposts and wanted to do a sunrise shoot here. Was waiting for the chance to travel to Melbourne and this week I finally managed the shoot. This was one of the shots that have come out well from the shoot.

Met an interesting cabbie on the way here - he thought that I was going fishing, since I asked him to take me to the pier. I guess the big tripod bag could pass off for fishing equipment, in addition to the fact that I was probably the only person 'shooting' shooting with tripod et al there (there was another girl with a digital camera - maybe she posts to Flickr too!). Then he tried to convince me to have a coffee about 500m away from the pier since it was too early to capture the dawn. Being the nice guy he was, he turned off the meter as we were passing the cafes and offered to take me upto the pier and if I changed my mind to bring me back free of charge! These are some of the experiences that make travel so moving.

Cheers mate!

Melbourne, Australia
2006

Arjun Purkayastha • travel & fine art photography •

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Comments

jot.de says:

wow,it seems like there are two suns . I like the composition with the lamps.
Posted 45 months ago. ( permalink )

ThePres [deleted] says:

Gorgeous capture!!! The light and color are fantastic ;)
Posted 45 months ago. ( permalink )

IrenaS says:

Those are fabulous lamp posts. They look great against the sky. Nicely done!
Posted 45 months ago. ( permalink )

est0al says:

Beautiful lighting and boy, that is a hell of alot of tags ;)
Posted 45 months ago. ( permalink )

☯ AnA oMeLeTe ☯ says:

Perfect light catch, I love the way the clouds are painted in the sky and the symmetrical position on the lamps.
Posted 45 months ago. ( permalink )

Sonny says:

Thank you for rating and posting in the 100 points Group.
Posted 45 months ago. ( permalink )

This American Wife says:

i love the stories you include with your picture. brings us full circle. quite a treasure.
Posted 45 months ago. ( permalink )

aroo.... says:

wow cool, nice lights
Posted 45 months ago. ( permalink )

heavenuphere says:

Beautiful photo, especially those lights.
And what a great story!
Posted 45 months ago. ( permalink )

RevMike88 says:

Very nice. I like the way the light is captured and the unusual shape of the lamp posts make it even more interesting.
Rating #1:

Rated 8 out of 10 in the 100 Points group.
Posted 45 months ago. ( permalink )

Catherine Reyes says:

Beautiful panorama! and I love the whimsical title...
Posted 45 months ago. ( permalink )

Farl says:

you and your luck with cabbies. and yep, I would have experimented too with long exposures if the sight is as rewarding as this one.
Posted 45 months ago. ( permalink )

Neon Heart says:

I love the colours, really striking.
Posted 45 months ago. ( permalink )

pedrosimoes7 says:

Rating #2:

Rated 5 out of 10 in the 100 Points group.

A not very interesting landscape, where I don't like the composition (too much space at the first level) and the colors that seem too artifical.
Posted 45 months ago. ( permalink )

Dave Shearn says:

i disagree completely with the comment above.

There is a huge amount here. The moon, the spattering of cloud, the form of the land in the foreground (risen grass and flat paving), the style of the lamps, the composition of the front three, the distant yet vibrant penisula, the spots of light in the foreground, the progressive change of colour in the sky. and more!

its often hard to turn a great view into to even an ok photo, but you have excelled yourself here.

very carefully thought out image.

Rating #3:

Rated 10 out of 10 in the 100 Points group.
Posted 45 months ago. ( permalink )

redRob13 says:

As Dave has pointed out, there's alot to like in this shot ... the progression of colours in both the sky and land/sea, differnent surfaces and light. The lamposts make for a nice foreground element, although I don't think I'd be as much of a fan of them as you are :)

For me though, there's a bit too much foreground and the two receding lamposts on the left of the frame feel superflouos to the composition. Also there seems to a lack of sharpness to the image.

Rating #4:

Rated 7 out of 10 in the 100 Points group.
Posted 45 months ago. ( permalink )

Jenni Jones-Kebler says:

Great shot. Got me staring at the city lights, then the moon. Love the work.

Rating #5:

Rated 9 out of 10 in the 100 Points group.
Posted 45 months ago. ( permalink )

movingthings says:

great composition and nice story
Rating #6:

Rated 8 out of 10 in the 100 Points group.
Posted 45 months ago. ( permalink )

>>Jass<< says:

B-ea-u-ti-ful !
Posted 45 months ago. ( permalink )

Sir Isaac Lime says:

Agree with everyone that the colors are great, and I like the flare you're getting off the lights on the other side of the water. But I'm afraid I don't find the lampposts as fascinating as you do. Also, it's close enough to symmetrical that you ought to have the two closest lightposts equal distances from the edge of the frame.

Rating #7:

Rated 7 out of 10 in the 100 Points group.
Posted 45 months ago. ( permalink )

Rod Monkey says:

Technically, this shot is fine – the exposure & focus are all handled well. Creatively however, I have to say that it leaves me fairly unmoved. I don’t find the lampposts particularly interesting, certainly not enough to make me want to study the image for very long. The lack of balance with the right hand lamppost being nearer the frame than the left hand also detracts. The other elements in the portrait are not strong enough to rescue the image.

Rating #8:

Rated 6 out of 10 in the 100 Points group.
Posted 45 months ago. ( permalink )

Black Glenn says:

Rating #9:

Rated 5 out of 10 in the 100 Points group.

The image is really soft and can be improved by sharpening. Composition is fine, but if you added some human element on one side of the frame or even in the middle the shot would improve.
Posted 45 months ago. ( permalink )

Spirited_Away says:

it's ok, the lights are cool, but I don't like the crop for some reason
Rating #10:

Rated 6 out of 10 in the 100 Points group.
Posted 45 months ago. ( permalink )

neloqua says:

I love the lamps too! Great photo:surely the history will be a nice memory in the future!
Posted 45 months ago. ( permalink )

EssjayNZ says:

Final rating in the 100 Points group is 71 Points.

Well done!

Please request entry and publish this photograph in the 70-79 Points group and thank you very much for participating in the 100 Points group.
Posted 45 months ago. ( permalink )

Rettop says:

Arjun, yet another one of you cool snaps. I love the blue and the orange combination so much. The contrast in the snap and the shape of the lamps and the bright lights are perfect. However, I think the lamps could be more symmetric.

From the MiRea's Realm Group, you are given a 6/7 ranking.
Posted 45 months ago. ( permalink )

Sniper Adams [deleted] says:

Looks familiar. Great shot!
Posted 45 months ago. ( permalink )

Kiwitui [deleted] says:

This is a great shot. I know the area well having lived in Melbourne for two years. You have captured the atmosphere well. The lights are not over exposed and yet you have managed to retain some of the green in the foreground. The only suggestion I can make is that you crop a little off the top of the sky. This will make the shot feel more dramatic. From the MiRea's Realm Group, you are given a 6/7 ranking.
Posted 45 months ago. ( permalink )

oybay © says:

What a gorgeous shot! I like everything about it!
From the MiRea's Realm Group, you are given a 7/7 ranking.
Posted 45 months ago. ( permalink )

Oliver Lavery says:

You really used a tripod here? It's great, but *really* soft!

Tricky. You have too much sky, imo. It has an interesting mood, and the flares add a certain coolness. I just can't deal with how soft the image is though; 30 seconds isn't that long, really. Was it a really windy day or something?

From the MiRea's Realm Group, you are given a 5/7 ranking.
Posted 45 months ago. ( permalink )

Eekers! says:

Great picture, works well for me, tho I also find the lamp-post shapes interesting :) And I enjoyed the story that went with it too :)
Posted 45 months ago. ( permalink )

gundunasu u zeneize says:

I would use a very small lens opening here since you have a tripod and a 30sc. expo, may be you could have a sharper result. I mean, to wake up early to take a cab and spend money for some photos, you must be a real lover, 5/7 from MiRea's Realm group.
Posted 45 months ago. ( permalink )

Katz41 says:

Beautiful..and the exposure is fantastic. The photo is clear and crisp and you have captured light just right..its almost surreal.

From the MiRea's Realm Group, you are given a 7/7 ranking.
Posted 45 months ago. ( permalink )

Lida Rose says:

Lovely photo! The color is warm and wonderful! Nice work!
Posted 45 months ago. ( permalink )

beyond the pale says:

like the symmetry in the three foreground lampposts, though it suggests that the space to either side should match too.
is it just me or is there a slight tilt in the horizon, lampposts seems just off-vertical too?
extra-bright distant lights distract for me
still nice shot
From the MiRea's Realm Group, you are given a 4/7 ranking.
Posted 45 months ago. ( permalink )

MiRea says:

Congratulations!

Ditching the highest and lowest score you get a total of 29 out of 35 in the MiRea's Realm Group.

You are invited to post your pic in MiRea's Realm Upper Chamber
Posted 45 months ago. ( permalink )

cloud_nine says:

it´s like a dream !!
Posted 45 months ago. ( permalink )

AmUnivers says:

Very nice composition ! I like these lamps too :)
Posted 45 months ago. ( permalink )

Robby Edwards says:

Outstanding scene with excellent compostion. Very well done.
Posted 45 months ago. ( permalink )

isolano. says:

Beautiful! Perfect exposure!
Posted 45 months ago. ( permalink )

txiribiton says:

great!
Posted 45 months ago. ( permalink )

... Arjun says:

jot.de, thepres6, IrenaS, Ana "Omelete", This American Wife, aroo...., heavenuphere, CDReyes, Neon Heart, >>Jass<<, neloqua, MarvinOS, Eekers!, Lida Rose, cloud_nine, AmUnivers, Robby Edwards, isolano, txiribiton - Thank you.

est0al - It sure is.

100 Points & MiRea's Realm Folks - This was a pretty polarizing composition. Some folks liked it a lot while others did not. I have purposely not sharpened this image because I wanted to give it a dreamy feeling. Thanks for sharing your thoughts and critiqe on the image.

Farl - There is so much you can do with long exposures.

essjay nz, MiRea - Have added it to the pool.
Posted 45 months ago. ( permalink )

paranoidandroid_ says:

Beautiful.
Looks like a painting.I love the crop idea!
Posted 43 months ago. ( permalink )

VanMuzi says:

Beautiful shot!! Very nice!
Posted 41 months ago. ( permalink )

... Arjun says:

paranoidandroid_ - Thanks, but which crop ideas?

VANMUZI - Thanks.
Posted 41 months ago. ( permalink )

beloglintsev [deleted] says:

Superb!
Posted 39 months ago. ( permalink )

paranoidandroid_ says:

which Crop?
I mean the way the shot has been framed! wrong use of words, I guess!

I read the description today and 'loved' it! Yes these are the moments which make travellin worth while!
I took a free ride from a guy called Rodrigues in Goa and he dint take any money.
When it was time to leave Goa and I was on way walking to the bus stop (which was far away, but not much those days to hail a cab) *BANG* I see Rodrigues yet again and I had a another not-so-free ride. I bought him a bottle of Feni and then boarded my bus :)

Cheers to the wanderlust!

rEEna
Posted 39 months ago. ( permalink )

... Arjun says:

beloglintsev - Thanks.

paranoidandroid_ - Got it. Your story is pretty cool as well.
Posted 38 months ago. ( permalink )

youchy1 says:

wow very good!! loved the pic

כאן צמחי מרפא
Posted 31 months ago. ( permalink )

... Arjun says:

youchy1 - Glad you did.
Posted 31 months ago. ( permalink )

dsslvdgrl* says:

Beautiful shot!
Posted 29 months ago. ( permalink )

... Arjun says:

dsslvedgrl - Thx.
Posted 29 months ago. ( permalink )

delevine says:

Hi Arjun. There's a reason they look the way they do. Would you consider submitting this evidence to our Secret Robots group?

www.flickr.com/groups/secretrobots

many thanks
Posted 27 months ago. ( permalink )

smooveflava says:

Hi, I'm an admin for a group called My Australia. Please consider joining and posting your fantastic photos to our group.

Great shot!
Posted 27 months ago. ( permalink )

... Arjun says:

delevine, smooveflava - Thanks for the invite.
Posted 27 months ago. ( permalink )

tdarisbo says:

So beautifull!

Congratulations!
Posted 24 months ago. ( permalink )

Happy New Year! says:

Hi, I'm an admin for a group called Inspirational travel pictures, and we'd love to have this added to the group!
Posted 14 months ago. ( permalink )

cltan47 [deleted] says:

Those street"s lamp posts spoil this view.
Posted 14 months ago. ( permalink )

Jishnu Nandy says:

Hi, I'm an admin for a group called Silhouette Photography (Post and Comment), and we'd love to have this added to the group!
Posted 12 months ago. ( permalink )

martimeer says:

Really good picture
I love it
Posted 12 months ago. ( permalink )

Herbsee says:

i love this :) so good :D
Posted 11 months ago. ( permalink )

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Taken in Melbourne, Victoria (map)
Taken with a Nikon D70s.
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Taken on April 5, 2006
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Hunchbacks

Comments

jot.de says:

ThePres [deleted] says:

IrenaS says:

est0al says:

☯ AnA oMeLeTe ☯ says:

Sonny says:

This American Wife says:

aroo.... says:

heavenuphere says:

RevMike88 says:

Catherine Reyes says:

Farl says:

Neon Heart says:

pedrosimoes7 says:

Dave Shearn says:

redRob13 says:

Jenni Jones-Kebler says:

movingthings says:

>>Jass<< says:

Sir Isaac Lime says:

Rod Monkey says:

Black Glenn says:

Spirited_Away says:

neloqua says:

EssjayNZ says:

Rettop says:

Sniper Adams [deleted] says:

Kiwitui [deleted] says:

oybay © says:

Oliver Lavery says:

Eekers! says:

gundunasu u zeneize says:

Katz41 says:

Lida Rose says:

beyond the pale says:

MiRea says:

cloud_nine says:

AmUnivers says:

Robby Edwards says:

isolano. says:

txiribiton says:

... Arjun says:

paranoidandroid_ says:

VanMuzi says:

... Arjun says:

beloglintsev [deleted] says:

paranoidandroid_ says:

... Arjun says:

youchy1 says:

... Arjun says:

dsslvdgrl* says:

... Arjun says:

delevine says:

smooveflava says:

... Arjun says:

tdarisbo says:

Happy New Year! says:

cltan47 [deleted] says:

Jishnu Nandy says:

martimeer says:

Herbsee says:

Would you like to comment?

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