Abstract in Puerto Montt, by Cameron Cope

I spent a few days in and out of Puerto Montt as it is the home port of Agartha, aboard which I roamed the northern patagonian fjords with Carlos Lonza of Sailing Patagonia. In my spare time I managed to do a few photo-walks in town. Whilst I don’t normally shoot abstracts, this scene caught my attention. It was low tide and I had descended to the pebble beach from the concrete retaining wall protecting the city for a low angle view of the passing fishing vessels. Unfortunately the light was not proper for shooting the boats out on the water so I started poking around for something else when I noticed these improvised fenders hanging into an empty berthing. Something about the griminess of the wall, the pebble beach, the ship’s title painted in complementary colours and the hanging tyres caught my attention. They gave just enough clues to illicit the grimy seaside ‘vibe’ I was contemplating at the time. It was glary and overcast too, so it was perfect lighting to focus in on some detail and the colours came out nicely as a result.

Canon 5D Mark II with Canon 24-105mm f4L IS USM | Exposure 1/125sec @ f8 | ISO 400
Abstract in Puerto Montt, by Cameron Cope

Award Winner: Photo of the Day | July 01
Award Score: 65.5 (Value 12, Clarity 12.5, Composition 14, Style 14.5, Skill 12.5)
Photo of the Day Award Category: Abstract Photography
Photograph Location: Puerto Montt | Chile

Photographer: Cameron James Cope (Melbourne, Australia.) Registered
Cam Cope is an emerging photographic artist originally from Gippsland in Victoria (Australia) who works on travel and documentary projects. Cam spent much of his youth engaged in visual arts, but in his academic years explored history, film, environmental studies and Spanish language. Through extensive travel and academic exchange he developed a passion for the legacy of colonial history, indigenous culture and environmental issues. His early professional career was in environmental consultancy in Melbourne, though in 2009 Cam began developing a new way to express himself from behind the lens. His projects are both personal and collaborative in nature while his broad experience allows him to engage meaningfully with a variety of subject matter. His goals are to explore his creative vision, connect with different cultures, contribute to public debate and engineer platforms for people to tell their own stories.

Cam has had travel work published in Get Lost Magazine and Backpacker Essentials, and has received recognition in multiple photography competitions. Photographs from his collaborative work with the Mullett family (of the Gunai/Kurnai Indigenous community of south-eastern Victoria) have been acquired by the Melbourne Museum for their permanent collection. The year 2012 represents an important moment in Cam’s burgeoning career with a series of debut exhibitions planned to showcase his photographs from a variety of projects.

Website: http://www.camcope.com
Blog: http://camcope.wordpress.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/camcopephotography