Words by Des Paroz
USS Bonhomme Richard at Garden Island
In August 2013 USS Bonhomme Richard (LHD 06) paid a visit to Sydney’s Fleet Base East.
Bonhomme Richard is a Landing Helicopter Dock (aka Ambhibious Assault Ship) that is capable of carrying helicopters, STOVL fighters and a large force of embarked marines that can be landed by helicopter or landing craft launched from the LHD’s well deck.
Bonhomme Richard is of a similar size and role as the Canberra class LHDs shortly to be commissioned into the Royal Australian Navy.
Being a large ship, the challenge was to find a suitable location publicly accessible from which to get the whole ship into frame, without too much in the way of foreground distractions.
Being a beautiful Sydney day, the sky and the harbour were both quite blue, so the blue-grey colour of Bonhomme Richard also caused a challenge for contrast.
The old structure in the foreground became a good solution to both problems—it provided colour and depth, without being too distracting. The challenge was to frame it appropriately.