A Short Week - Part Five - The Hot Wash Up

Well it was a good time, had by me. I can readily recommend the Fremantle Maritime Museum to anyone with a camera and happy hours to spend. I can also recommend the two lenses that were tested out as very good ideas for this sort of shooting. Nearly all indoor events - and certainly most urban indoor museums - are close-coupled things, and you'll rarely find yourself reaching for the telephoto lens. The ability to get it all in without stepping backwards into the open drainage pit is invaluable. Particularly if you are driving home in your own car and have velour seats... Is there art to be found in Freo? Hard to say...but if there is, you'll be well advised to search for it with your camera and a compact lens. Do not be afraid to turn the LCD screen intensity up to the max to combat the bright sun outside. If it tilts, so much the better - the more it angles over, the less your body will have to do. If you are looking for the actualities of the port, poke around. It has enough tourist facilities on the passenger side, and there are things going on at North Wharf that bear watching. To this end, I would say take a long lens too, but if you find yourself with one focal length, use it cheerfully and then crop later. If you've money and time and don't mind confined spaces, the relic of HMAS OVENS is open for guided tours. Expect to hit your fore head on a hatch coaming somewhere aboard, and don't wear formal clothes... For the rest, spend your time in the maritime museum and see everything. The place is a mine of information... On the question of digital cameras and lenses for museums - go wide and go mad is the best advice. Hardly any place will sanction tripod use as it obstructs walking lanes for other patrons, and a few will nix the use of flash, but if you can turn your camera up to ISO 1250 at least...or higher...and get decent resolution, you can laugh at the lighting. A monopod will help as well. If your current camera and computer program cannot produce a decent result at ISO 1250, it is a sign that you need to come on down to Camera Electronic and advance your equipment. The freedom it'll give you is marvellous.