Unit 305 Theme 2 - Assignment Planning

Assignment Planning: Urban Landscape, Hull's Docks 2010
Background

Hull Maritime Museum

Having decided that I would like to use the docks of Hull as my subject for assignment 2, the first thing I did was to start researching their history and development. In Hull, there is a Maritime Museum in the Dock Offices building, so-named as it is the former headquarters of the Hull Dock Company, which operated all docks in Hull until 1893.  The museum contains a wealth of information concerning the building and usage of the docks and I could start to set out the location and present day use of the old docks.

Reference to the Museum can be found via the link below:

http://www.hullcc.gov.uk/portal/page?_pageid=221,95619&_dad=portal&_schema=PORTAL

The docks started to be developed in 1775 with The Dock, later called the Old Dock. The docks grew with the growth of sea trade and was booming over the next 150 years.  After the Second World War, trade reduced and many of the docks fell derelict. In the mid 1980's, money was available for the re-generation of the docks. Some still being used as originally intended, others have been changed beyond recognition into shopping centres,gardens, housing estates and a marina.

The main docks are;

• The Old Dock (1778), renamed Queen's Dock (1855), now Queen's Gardens
• Humber Dock (1809), now part of Hull Marina (1983)
• Junction Dock (1829), renamed Prince's Dock (1855), now Princes Quay Shopping Centre (1991)
• Railway Dock (1846), now part of Hull Marina (1984)
• Victoria Dock (1850), now a housing estate (1980's)
• Albert Dock (1869), in use - cargo dock
• William Wright Dock (1880), in use - cargo dock
• St. Andrew's Dock (1883), partly derelict and partly St. Andrew's Quay Shopping Centre
• Alexandra Dock (1885), in use cargo dock
• King George Dock (1914), Ferry port
• Queen Elizabeth Dock (1969), Container port

The two old maps below show the extent of the docks as they were at their peak. I then compared that with Google Maps to precisely locate the the position of the old docks in their present form.

http://www.riverhumber.com/index.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Port_of_Hull

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps

Prior Planning
From the knowledge gained with the maps, I was able to decide on the best vantage points to best represent the areas covering the old docks. Once I knew the direction I wanted to take the images from, I could decide on the access to the required view point, time of day and sun angle (or no sun).


The total area covered by the old docks is relatively small and compact, so it is fairly easy to go from one point to the next quickly. I also go have someone with good local knowledge of the area who drives me to the locations I have identified, or suggests better view points.

Aerial view - Hull Docks

I intend to capture an image that best represents each dock as it is today. With the limited number of images required by the assignment (10), it will not be possible to show the whole extent of every dock.

Choice of equipment

For the assignment, I have chosen to use my Nikon D3000 DSLR camera body, fitted with a Nikon 18 -105mm telephoto zoom lens.

The camera has a good resolution and because it is a single lens reflex it makes manual focussing easy. The memory storage cards are capable of capturing several hundred images at a time.

The lens is quite versatile, because it has a good focal length range but is not too bulky. I prefer the flexibility of this lens over using several fixed focal length lenses, reducing the need to keep changing lenses, which also helps to keep the sensor clean.

Full detailed specifications can be found on the Nikon website;
http://www.europe-nikon.com/en_GB/product/digital-cameras/slr/consumer/d3000

Nikon D3000 DSLR

• Type: Digital single-lens reflex
• Sensor: 23.6 mm × 15.8 mm Nikon DX format RGB CCD sensor, 1.5 × FOV crop
• Maximum resolution: 3,872 × 2,592 (10.2 effective megapixels)
• Lens: Interchangeable, Nikon F-mount
• Flash: Built in Pop-up, Guide number 13m at ISO 100, Standard ISO hotshoe, Compatible with the Nikon Creative Lighting System
• Shutter:  Electronically-controlled vertical-travel focal-plane shutter
• Shutter speed range:  30 s to 1/4000 s in 1/2 or 1/3 stops and Bulb, 1/200 s X-sync
• Exposure metering:  TTL 3D Color Matrix Metering II metering with a 420 pixel RGB sensor
• Exposure modes:  Auto modes (auto, auto [flash off]), Guide Mode, Advanced Scene Modes (Portrait, Landscape, Sports, Close-up, Night Portrait), programmed auto with flexible program (P), shutter-priority auto (S), aperture-priority auto (A), manual (M), (Q) quiet mode. 
• Metering modes: 3D Color Matrix Metering II, Center-weighted and Spot
• Focus areas: 11-area AF system, Multi-CAM 1000 AF Sensor Module
• Focus modes: Instant single-servo (AF-S); continuous-servo (AF-C); auto AF-S/AF-C selection (AF-A); manual (M)
• Continuous shooting: 3 fps
• Viewfinder: Optical 0.80x, 95% Pentamirror
• ASA/ISO range: 100–1600 in 1/3 EV steps, up to 3200 as high-boost
• Flash bracketing: 2 or 3 frames in steps of 1/3, 1/2, 2/3, 1 or 2 EV
• Custom WB: Auto, Incandescent, Fluorescent, Sunlight, Flash, Cloudy, Shade, Kelvin temperature, Preset
• Rear LCD monitor: 3.0-inch 320×240 pixel (QVGA) TFT-LCD
• Storage: Secure Digital, SDHC compatible
• Battery: Nikon EN-EL9a rechargeable Lithium-Ion battery 
• Weight: Approx. 485 g (1.07 lb) without battery, memory card or body cap

Nikon 18 - 105 mm DX lens

• Focal length: 18-105mm
• Maximum aperture: f/3.5-5.6
• Minimum aperture: f/22-38
• Lens construction: 15 elements in 11 groups (with one ED glass element and one aspherical lens element)
• Picture angle: 76° - 15°20’
• Closest focusing distance: 0.45 m/1.48 ft. (throughout entire zoom range)
• Maximum reproduction ratio: 1/5
• No. of diaphragm blades: 7 (rounded)
• Filter/attachment size: 67mm
• Diameter x length (extension from lens mount): Appproximately 76 x 89 mm/2.9 x 3.5 in.
• Weight: Approximately 420 g/14.8 oz.

I keep a tripod in the car, and also have a wireless remote control to fire the camera when it is attached to the tripod. To protect the lens from dust and scratches, I have fitted it with a clear UltraViolet filter. This not only helps to keep the lens in good condition, it also reduces glare from the sun.

I have 2x 4Gb SD memory cards to use as image storage. I leave one in the camera and keep the other one in my camera bag, cleaned of any images and ready at all times. After shooting some images, I download the images as soon as possible from the camera on to my laptop computer and back them up on an external hard disk drive. Then I will charge the battery, so it is ready to use at any time.

Along with the battery charger and download cable, I keep a cleaning kit in my camera bag. Especially useful is a soft, lint free cloth to keep dust off of the front of the lens.


Lastly I always have a pen and notebook to record details about the captured images.


Apart from the tripod, everything I need is kept together in a camera bag ready to pick up at any time.

Health and Safety
I like to consider what issues I might have when taking pictures on location. Wearing the appropriate clothing and footwear is important. Climbing over waste ground or along beaches, require sturdy, waterproof footwear. Clothing should allow for changes in temperature and allow for rain and wind too. I always keep a waterproof jacket in the car and a warm fleece, hat and gloves. Checking the weather forecast before going on a location shoot can prove very useful too. An umbrella can allow you to shoot in the rain without getting rain drops on the lenses.


You have to think about road safety, especially at night. I always have a reflective jacket in the car. 


You must consider the safety of others too, having a person to help you is extremely useful to act as another pair of eyes when you become distracted. Keeping your equipment all together in a bag helps to reduce the likelihood of something becoming an obstruction and protects the equipment at the same time.