2021-04: Feeling Industrious
One of my friends since elementary school is Paul. He's a talented photographer known for his evocative portraits and for his dedication to the medium of good ol' fashioned film. One subject that Paul's spent a lot of time photographing is the Halifax grain port. I figured I would try to channel him and give that stark industrial space a try.
Olympus E-PL9: f4, 1/640 sec, ISO 800
IrfanView: Crop, Colour Balance
I like figuring out how things work, particularly buildings. I must confess, though, that the grain port completely mystifies me. I know there must be conveyors of some sort which bring the dry goods from the silos to the ships, but beyond that, I don't have a clue how the place operates.
Olympus E-PL9: f6.3, 1/640 sec, ISO 1600
IrfanView: Crop, Colour Balance
Why does the path of travel drop down at the structure in the background, but not at the one in the foreground? I know these decisions are made with scathing logic, but it defies me.
Olympus E-PL9: f5.6, 1/320 sec, ISO 640
IrfanView: Crop, Colour Balance
Another thing that's difficult is capturing the sheer vastness of the port. The complex of buildings is over a kilometer long, and quite tall, too. At the same time, it's all very thin, and various parts are stilted.
Olympus E-PL9: f5, 1/250 sec, ISO 640
IrfanView: Crop, Colour Balance
There's an undeniable ugliness to the place. It is a looming brute wrapped in tall fencing and "keep out!" signs. Despite that, it is a destination. It isn't just Paul and me who flock to photograph it. A nearby apartment building even has a green patch called Grainery Park!
Olympus E-PL9: f4, 1/250 sec, ISO 400
IrfanView: Crop, Colour Balance
It would be a stretch to say that such an industrial space is familiar, but the mass of concrete and steel does have an air of permanence. It may look rough around the edges, but it is a busy port. I find it a bit of reprieve from the flashy commercial areas of the downtown waterfront with all their glitz and glamour. Having visited the port on several days to take these pictures, I can confirm that it holds a lot more wheat than glitz!
Olympus E-PL9: f6.3, 1/1600 sec, ISO 800
IrfanView: Crop, Colour Balance
Given the docks and the railway, the easier place from which to view the port is on the inland side. From there, the nearest visible open water is this puddle.
Olympus E-PL9: f3.5, 1/500 sec, ISO 6400
IrfanView: Crop, Colour Balance
Photographically, a large industrial space like this presents both challenges and opportunities. One has to give up on capturing the whole place in a single shot. At the same time, to focus on the tinier details can feel like a disservice. Personally, that pushes me to mid-range views like this rather daunting flight of ladders. I like the effect.
Olympus E-PL9: f6.5, 1/250 sec, ISO 3200
IrfanView: Crop, Colour Balance
Colour is another tricky subject to handle at the grainery. Paul's approach is to maximize the texture of the place by shooting in monochrome. His style is certainly breathtaking. Not wanting to copy it, I decided to strike out in the opposite direction. I ramped up my saturation to capture the blue of the steel paint and the various stains and grimes on the concrete. It fascinates me how the same place can tell two very different stories depending on how one views it.
Olympus E-PL9: f2, 1/250 sec, ISO 320
IrfanView: Crop, Colour Balance
I have one last picture of the port before moving on to other things. I took one of my walks there just before sunset, and managed to get some decent glow off some lights. I would have preferred a bit more crispness, but for a handheld shot I am content.
Olympus E-PL9: f6.3, 1/1600 sec, ISO 800
IrfanView: Crop, Colour Balance
On one hand, I don't want the transition from my last set of pictures to the next to be too jarring... On the other, I feel like the port is a pretty heavy subject, visually. Given that Spring has sprung, I felt it was important to include a greener side to this entry. This path beside the Halifax Citadel is very well-travelled, just like the port. Its scale, however, is completely different. It hardly looks like the same city!
Olympus E-PL9: f8, 1/640 sec, ISO 200
IrfanView: Crop, Colour Balance
Very shortly after I took the photograph of the footpath, I caught this bird at the very moment of takeoff. It's difficult to get a good photo of such a quick event, particularly when one isn't expecting it. I am pleased that this one is decent.
Olympus E-PL9: f6.3, 1/1250 sec, ISO 500
IrfanView: Crop, Colour Balance
For my next trick, we shift from a very fast-moving bird to a perfectly still one. I saw this duck resting in Halifax's Public Gardens.
Olympus E-PL9: f6.3, 1/1600 sec, ISO 1600
IrfanView: Crop, Colour Balance
The Public Gardens is a majestic place in the late Spring and Summer. Currently, there are only a few early-blooming plants on display. Coming just after crocuses in the seasonal order are the daffodils. They do look lovely beside the water... I was careful not to gaze too intently and fall in!
Olympus E-PL9: f5.6, 1/400 sec, ISO 200
IrfanView: Crop, Colour Balance
I'm ending off this entry with a rather idyllic view. The landscape of the Gardens has been carefully kept in its current state for just shy of 150 years; some parts of it date back to 1837. The number of photos which feature this bridge must be staggering. Still, it's almost impossible for a shutterbug like me to walk by without sizing up a shot. The Victorians took their vistas very seriously, and their attention to detail shows!
