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99. Tilbury Fort

2010.04.09

The main entrance. Designed to look grand from the River.

I've got some far clearer photos of the tunnels within the fort, but I like the Tedesque qualities to this one.

Thought our luck was in, but these only contain gunpowder.

Not at the fort but in a park a few miles away. I learnt that there is more to photography than getting a good place to take a shot. Anticipation is a vital skill. I got lined up perfectly to take the shot, but just before he released the pigeons, this man moved so that the tree blocked my line of sight. I'm sure that a more experienced photographer would have thought about this in advance. I know it looks grainy, but it is ISO 6400 and hugely cropped.

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Construction of the fort began in 1672; it remained in service up until WWII, it's job being to protect the River Thames and hence, the City of London from attack. As the following quote from the official website shows though, it hasn't seen too much action:

"Perhaps because of its strength, Tilbury Fort has never been involved in the kind of action for which it was designed. The worst bloodshed within the fort occurred in 1776, when a fight following a Kent-Essex cricket match left a cricketer and the fort's sergeant dead".http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/server/show/nav.12192

One of the most interesting things about the fort is it's overall shape, but unfortunately it is very difficult to show this from surface level photos.

Great post, Jon. The building in the first shot looks so elegant.

huiching · 2010-04-08: 20:52

Interesting and informative post, Jon. Care to join me in a pint of gunpowder?
Excellent capture on #8!

lgnelson · 2010-04-08: 22:22

Ooh, I like the ghosts in the 3rd. Interesting place!

thebronzebow · 2010-04-08: 23:49

Oh wow , this are very nice set , the entrance is really nice and the images are really sharp . crisp and excellent details..it has not seen action in WW2 because i think the german believes it is inpenetrable..not like the corregidor fort first line of sea defence in manila , that claims thousand of lives during WW2..
thanks a lot for sharing Jon !
best regards ,
rob

blackhawk1552 · 2010-04-09: 00:30

Great set - looks like an interesting place to visit :-)

jet28 · 2010-04-09: 02:59

Good shots,
interesting post!

Ryana · 2010-04-09: 06:55

Interesting place....you got some nice looks and excellent shots!

lookagain · 2010-04-09: 08:46

An interesting post and set. I like the last with the capture of the bird in motion and the expression on the man's face , despite any graininess.

????? · 2010-04-09: 08:59

It does have a very grand entrance..great clear shots, #6 and 7 look almost 3D.. (My grandson to be born in July is named "Jon" Andrew..

NellyBly · 2010-04-09: 11:11

Great shots!
I especially like two, three and eight.

jennye · 2010-04-09: 11:16

Very interesting set!

Eiram · 2010-04-09: 13:09

'Tedesque' !! hahahaaa Love it :-))

Nice bit of history for us
and I like the way the last one turned out!!
The covering tree makes his action somehow dubious but I'm sure it's not :-))

????? · 2010-04-09: 14:48

Tedesque?! :-) At first sight I thought of wine... (very predictable). In the last shot you reminded me the hunters shooting pigeons ;-) Fortunately you're a photographer :-)) Very nice set.

????? · 2010-04-09: 18:41

Really like 3 it feels eerie. #4 is nicely done too. Love patterns and texture like that. :)

kellybee322 · 2010-04-09: 22:15

Amazing! 8# !!

????? · 2010-04-10: 04:24

Looks like an interesting place. I like the look of #2. My first thought was wine with #4 too. ISO 6400...I can't imagine. I am not happy over about 1250 with the 40D. What are your first impressions and thoughts about the7D?

etodd80 · 2010-04-10: 09:48