foto Priority

A big thanks to Chris Belyea again for this contribution to foto priority. This time Chis brings us an Amateurs ‘How To’ Guide to Walsh Bay.

Don’t forget you can checkout 100′s more of Chris’s images on his flickr site

The past few weeks I’ve suggested shots best taken at sunrise, so in fairness to those that prefer to watch the sun go down rather than the other way around, this week I’ll move to a more central location for everyone, and at a more ‘user friendly’ time

Now we’ve all seen, and done, the iconic shots of the Harbour Bridge and the Opera House, but take a walk just around the corner to Walsh Bay and you’ll find a wealth of things to shoot.

Add in all the fantastic places to eat or have a coffee and you can lose a few hours here quite easily.

© Chris Belyea

About this shot
Canon EOS 50D, ISO100, f/8 at 30 s, Manual mode,0EV, Evaluative metering, Daylight WB
Manfrotto tripod, mirror lockup, cable release
EF24-105mm f/4L IS USM at 24 mm

OK, I’ll be the first to admit that there’s really nothing all that difficult about taking a shot like this beyond finding the right spot, but as in most cases ‘its all about the light’ and you’d have to admit that there’s plenty of that here !

Obviously a tripod is going to be an essential item here given the long exposure times and that also has the added benefit of giving the water that great glass like quality

The RAW file was processed in Lightroom to get the basic image to where I wanted it, and then used Nik Software plugins in Photoshop to finish things off

Things to Consider
1. The Walsh Bay precinct is a very popular area for a variety of reasons so be prepared to spend some time getting shots people free
2. Don’t leave your gear lying around … it could walk off !

Equipment
All you’ll really need is your camera, a tripod, and some time and a willingness to explore

Best Time to Shoot
As the wharves face almost due west, any time from sunset onwards can prove extremely rewarding

© Chris Belyea

But wait, there’s more !
Walsh Bay is alive with wonderful examples of period architecture and artefacts of times gone by coupled with fantastic examples of modern day sculpture, so there’s really no excuse not to come away with some great shots, but to point you in the right direction, here’s a few suggestions.

- Start off at Pier 1 with the Sebel Pier One hotel. The colours of the building when it catches the right light can be quite amazing.
- The end of Pier 2 is very popular with fishermen, and as it protrudes out into the bay more than any of the other wharves, it’s a great place for sunset shots as well as environmental portraiture of the ‘locals’.
- The Hickson Steps are directly opposite Pier 2 and the textures of the sandstone wall is well worth a look, as is the original drainage channel cut into the wall.
- Just along from the Hickson Steps is the Still Life with Stone and Car by Jimmie Durham.
- There’s some great blends of new and old architecture around Piers 6 and 7.
- Pier 9 is a mix of modern glass frontage offices blended with the older structures and is a great choice for some HDR work in the right light. I’ve found that overcast days work particularly well here.
- At the rear of Pier 9 is the Brett Whiteley Black Totem II … its not immediately obvious, and you’ll need to look around, but its there .
- In the right light, underneath the piers can be just as good as above.

This is only just a brief list, and I’m sure you’ll find a lot more.

How to get there
If you can find the Harbour Bridge, you can find Walsh Bay … stand under the Bridge and face west

There’s plenty of parking, although it’s a meter parking area, the charges ‘after hours’ are quite reasonable

Have Fun!