April 2025 - Rugby at HMAS Cerberus, St Marks Church
About the Image(s)
Title: Rugby at HMAS Cerberus, St Marks Church
Andrea last month put a very interesting photo of a golfer playing with a bridge in the background. It got me thinking ??“ did I have anything similar? Well, I think I did ??“ a rugby shot with a very Norman-looking tower on a St. Marks Church overlooking the ground. The church is part of the naval base, the largest in Australia on 3,000 acres.
This was a game between the Cerberus team (Australian Navy) and the Southern Rugby Club from Melbourne. Here you see a Southern Rugby player kicking the ball out of defense, away from his try line. Not an exciting photo with high energy action, but a photo that captures something of an unusual situation to find on a rugby sports ground. These two teams play in the 3rd division of Melbourne Rugby competition.
The photo was not taken with the thought of capturing sharp focus on the background, using F2.8 to focus more on the two players. For me, this is a long term project to capture sporting events in unusual locations.
Camera and lens: Canon 70D Canon 70-200mm L F2.8 shot at 70 mm, 800/1, ISO 1000.
Processing Topaz AI Photo; Sharpening, Denoiseraw; Photoshop Auto.
7 comments posted
Dr Isaac Vaisman
Ronald, since I have been photographing a couple of Rugby games here in South Florida, I have become more interested in the sport and reading about its "Laws" (I was talking with a veteran rugby player with a very strong Irish accent, in one of the games and asking him about the rules. He corrected me stating that they are laws).
I like this image since in addition to show a couple of players and a good kick, gives us some of the environment as well. Posted: 04/04/2025 00:03:18
Don James
Did not know they were called laws :) I admit I don't know much about the sport at all, but very intrigued, especially after learning about the All Blacks and the history of the sport. Posted: 04/17/2025 14:38:30
Bruce Benson
Hey Don, Just for your information, the rules for soccer are also known as laws. I did my Masters degree thesis on the origins of soccer rules which are know as laws. Bruce Posted: 04/17/2025 15:18:21
Bruce Benson
Ronald, The vibrant colors of the players keep my eye focused on them, and the beauty of the scene with the church adds to the impact of the image. Even though there is not much action going on, I'll bet that the players would love to have this one hanging on their wall. I like it. Bruce Posted: 04/05/2025 17:20:53
Don James
Agree with you, Bruce. I really like the colors in the image, the background and whole image. Limited action, but otherwise sharp image. Posted: 04/17/2025 14:39:48
Andre Magarao
Hey Ronald, this is really cool. The church on the background looks amazing. If you shot a sequence I would check the next frame to see if the second player has his eyes open. Assuming the ball is still in and the guys leg is still fully stretched of course.
Since I live between Brazil and california it's crazy to me to see that you had to go to ISO 1000 with 1/800 and 2.8. It must have been a really really dark day. Posted: 04/14/2025 03:27:48
Ronald Davis
Yes Andrea you are right about the weather conditions on the day, to the left of the church you will see a haze spot, this was a local misty shower. These conditions continued throughout the day photo taken within a standing room only grandstand. Location is about as far as you can get on the south coast of Australia mainland, excluding Tasmania and Wilsons Promatory. The location Cerberus Naval Base is Australia's largest Navy base some 3000 acres. Posted: 04/14/2025 20:53:20
