Thursday, July 20, 2006

The Beauty of Containers and their Cranes.

The way home led me through the harbour of Antwerp. That part of the trip is about 16 km / 10 miles, and if there were another route I'd take it, because the fascination with vast stretches of bustling water, sea ships and huge cranes is rapidly replaced by a sense of boredom and tinyness. Most of the times the light is hazy from the clouds of the chemical industry. This time around, however, there was bright light in abundance, as so often this summer.


Containers awaiting further transport.


Idling container cranes.


Container cranes at work.
Photos Koos Fernhout

14 comments:

Anonymous said...

I love these crane photos, Koosje. They are so majestic. One of the first images I have of Rotterdam is the sight of all those great cranes in the harbours standing tall and stark against the sky.

You've captured that image beautifully here, even tho it's Antwerp! xxx

Anonymous said...

Hi koos,
I do believe you if you say it is not the best place to be nowadays but I really do like the pictures. Well captured!
Erik-Jan.

Koos F said...

Thanks VallyP, so glad they synchronise with your feeling of majesty! Funny, I hear your say these things in real life, but in written form they take on a different -also very pleasant- quality. But then you are the writer...

Hey Erik-Jan,
I haven't heard you in real life yet, but a similar thing goes for you: a professional photographer's appreciation means very much to me.
Thanks again for that!

Dale said...

Dear Koos

When my dad worked in the sugar industry he'd take us to the docks in the harbour in Montreal.
There were huge ships waiting to unload their tons of raw sugar from the holds.
This is a bit what your photos remind me of.
The most interesting thing about visiting my dad's sugar plant & the docks was that when I breathed in through my mouth, I could taste the sugar in the air...

You definitely have a way with the lens & use the light very effectively. The containers take on a life of their own.
The cranes are very interesting in their own right, too, & I like how they've been painted... to match the water? the sky? the grass?

I think that 16K of open water must be like riding a horse across the prairies... you feel so small & can see the same thing on the horizon the whole trip!

Thanks for your interesting point of view, as always.

Love
Dale

gypsy noir said...

only you could make cranes look magestic...how about 60%-40%..

Joe said...

Hi Koos super traveller.
Beautiful pics as always!

I sent you an e-mail.

Bye
Andy

Dan L. said...

Koos:

I load freight with a forklift into those things (sea containers) on my job. They are amazing, once stacked, and then at sea.

I visit Long Beach, Calif., from time to time, and the port there has included a neat operation called SEA LAUNCH...a floating launch pad for rockets. Google that one...it is also amazing!

Great pictures, Koos.

--Dan L.

Metalchick said...

Hi Koos,
I must say, they way you have captured the pictures makes that port look very beautiful.

Koos F said...

Hi Dan
Good to see your cheerful face again on my blog.
So you are closely connected to containers. It must be fun to develop a good skill, handling a fork lift.
Sailing through the Antwerp harbour single-handed I just had the time to take a few 'hip- shots', but also study how a 'mega fork lift driver' picked up containers from layers 5 and 6 at the same time! not eben approaching them exactly in the middle, and the drove off with them before lowering them to ground level. Amazing!!!
I went to see the Sea Launch site. What a clever solution to many problems. Thank you for pointing that out to me.

Hi Metalchick,
I admit that normally it is 10 miles (1.5 hours) of doing a chore, but this time the light made it bearable and -and that's new- looking through the eyes of my fellow bloggers is inspiring as well.

Hi Andy
For those who don't know: Andy and I met in the Basement in Pete Townshend's studio in London.
Beautiful fellow!

Koos F said...

Hi Dale,
Memories like that are the fuel that keeps the writer in you going. Great the way the presence of a smell in fact triggers the sense of taste!
Luckily the way through the Port of Antwerp is not a straight one, but the feeling of tinyness remains.

Suesjoy said...

Hi Koos-
VERY COOL pics!
It's amazing that, with the right perspective, one can find beauty in the least likely of places.
(sorry for the dodgy grammar! you get my drift).
That's a great gift you've got Koos.
More pretty photos coming, I promise.
(not that the Wainwrights aren't pretty).

Joe said...

Hey Koos
didn't you read my mail?

Andy

Mary Beth said...

Hi Koos,

I especially love the container picture. You always have an eye for an interesting, unique photo!

Koos F said...

Hi Andy

I didn't know you were in a hurry!
The weather is very hot and humid around here.
;-)