I recently visited the Maritime Museum in San Diego. I heard the H.M.S. Surprise was about to leave forever and wanted to take a last look before she left. Being on that ship takes me back to plesant hours reading Patrick O’Brien’s Napoleonic seafaring books. I can smell the coffee in the air and tar on the lines. I picture prefectly preserved Killick and revel in the contrast between Jack and Steven playing wonderful music by night while they engage in the destruction of battle during the daytime. I hear the singing of the wind as the Surprise runs across the horizon at a quick speed. To me, the H.M.S. Surprise is a time machine.

After taking a few documentary photos to pass to a friend, (the ship really is in a sad shape) I boarded the Star of India. By this time the sun and wind had done its thing and the overcast skies had given way to partly cloudy with alternating blue sky and whiteish/grey clouds overhead. With just enough sail aloft to attract paying customers, the Star was picture perfect. I looked up into the ship’s trees and saw the perfect black and white photo.

It was a bit sureal because even though my camera was set to color mode, I saw the scene in monocrome. I saw the dark blue sky in grey and the blending of the clouds and sails in Ansel Adam’s grey, brightness zones. I knew the changes I would make in post processing to turn my vision into a printable photograph.

 As I looked up it made me think of the various island people throughout the world as Captain Cook and others came into the view of people who had never seen a European sailing ship. To them it looked like moving clouds. Perhaps it gave them the false impression the sailors were gods or heavenly creatures?

Photography is an amazing creative experience. I encourage you to go out and exercize your vision while the temperatures are easy and the days are long enough to get the tasks of the day done and still have time to explore.