Blow Hot, Blow Cold

Getting Warmer All The Time

Photographs copyright: DAVID McMAHON

This was just one of those lucky shots. You know what I mean – you just happen to be in the right place at the right time? We were in Adelaide two years ago for a family wedding and the next day we decided to head to Semaphore Beach, despite the whipping wind and a moody grey sky.

I struck out towards the pier, in the opposite direction to the rest of the family – and that’s when I saw this miniature train. It’s a narrow-gauge locomotive that ends its run at the beach and I could tell from the sound of the bell that they were summoning the last of the tourists before it reversed away from the station.

I’m no world-class sprinter, but I sucked in the air and concentrated on a decent stride pattern as I tried to cover about 400 metres in double-quick time. I got there a couple of seconds after the train started moving, but it was still going slowly enough for me to take half-a-dozen shots.

I guess you could say this was tunnel vision. Or maybe we should make that funnel vision instead. Okay, let’s just say this shot is a hot favourite.

And I thought I'd add this picture, for a closer look at the train's headlamp. Did anyone notice the special silver gaffer tape around it in the first frame?

If you didn't, check out this shot for a smile ....


Post-script: There have been a couple of comments on this post that I must highlight here. The first one was from Jinksy, who said: "Funny, I thought train drivers usually faced front!" Yes, Jinksy, but this is Australia and we're upside down ... no, so I'm kidding. The train, as I explained, was at the end of the line and was reversing. That's why the driver was looking backwards.

The second one was from Artist Unplugged, whose witty response was: "I hope you said, 'Gotta run or I'm going to miss my train'!" Um, no, my brain didn't work that quickly. But you've made my day with your witty riposte.

Extra, extra, read all about it: I've been interviewed here. Thank you to all those who have already followed this link and checked out the interview. There have been so many wonderful comments and votes that I've tried to reply to each one personally - but you're setting a cracking pace. My humble and heartfelt thanks to all of you for the wonderful tributes and thoughts you have shared on the interview.


Visit TNChick's Photo Hunt. Today's theme: "Warm".

Is That A Tam O' Shanter?

No, It's A Ham O' Santa

Bower Road, Semaphore Park, Adelaide (South Australia)

Photograph copyright: DAVID McMAHON

Cross Your Tease And Dot Your Eyes

Or Maybe Just Eye The Dots Instead

Photograph copyright: DAVID McMAHON

You're wondering what this is, right? Well, that's the whole point of the exercise. I want you to try and guess what I've photographed.

While you're racking your brains, I'll just give you the background story. Just before Christmas 2006, we were in Adelaide for a family wedding. I caught sight of this scene at a shopping complex and because I always have my camera with me, I was able to shoot the sight immediately.

If you haven't quite figured out what I've photographed, here's the answer. I was standing in front of one of those people transporters, like the ones you see in airports. It was a bit bigger than a golf buggy and because it was a hot summer's day, I was able to take this shot.

You see, the object in the frame above is simply the heavy-duty zip that encloses two sides of the thick transparent plastic that serves as a weather shield in rain. As I said, it was a really hot day, so the plastic was rolled up and made a fascinating pattern.

It was just waiting for someone with a camera to walk past.

Reminds me of that Pixar movie. You know the one. It's called "A Buggy's Life".

(The Odd Shots concept came from Katney. Say "G'day" to her.)

N Is For Nhill

Cut To The Quick (Rather Too Quick, In Fact)

The rotunda on Nhill's main street. Photograph copyright: DAVID McMAHON

Nhill is a picturesque little town in the Wimmera. Head up the Western Highway on the way from Melbourne to Adelaide and Nhill is pretty much the halfway mark.

Back at 1994, we were driving to Adelaide for Easter when I suffered the embarrassment of being booked for speeding for the first time in my life. This was a watershed event in the McMahon clan, because all my family and friends know I always stick scrupulously to the speed limit.

But hey, I blame my mother-in-law for this debacle.

Don't get me wrong. I'm a big fan of my mother-in-law (and the grapevine tells me she's rather a big fan of mine) but let's pin this one on her.

I'd just driven through Nhill when my wife and mother-in-law swapped places in the car. My wife sat in the back and m-i-l, who was holidaying with us at the time, took the navigator's seat.
Mate, not that you need a navigator when you're driving from Melbourne to Adelaide. You just get on the Western Highway and don't get off. Ya just sorta keep goin'. And goin'. And goin'.

Then, just under 800 kilometres (that's 500 miles for my US readers) you see a sign that says ``Welcome to Adelaide''. Simple, yeah? So simple that even a country bumpkin like me can do it without a navigator.

Before you drive through any Outback town, the speed limit drops sequentially. You drop from 110 km/h to 80 km/h and then to 60km/h before you enter a town - and only a blind man would miss the signs.

Hmmmm, blind men and blokes who are busy talking to their mother-in-law. Okay, so I missed the 60 sign. And I sailed into the town of Kaniva doing 80. As soon as I realised my error I dropped my speed back - but it was too late.

My lapse of concentration cost me $165 and after I drove off again, gritting my teeth in decidedly indelicate fashion, there was another flash of gallows humour.

Our six-year-old announced brightly she couldn't wait to get back to school, to tell her friends that I had been busted for drink-driving.

I almost choked on my emotion. ``Drink-driving? I wasn't booked for drink-driving,'' I protested.``Yes, you were, Daddy. You were drinking your chocolate milkshake.''

The post office at Nhill. Photograph copyright: DAVID McMAHON

Cross Purposes

Adelaide's Swimmers Are Well Trained

Photograph copyright: DAVID McMAHON

Of all the beaches I've been to, all round the world, I've never seen one quite this unique - where you have to watch for mini-trains as you cross the street. This is the beachside tourist train (narrow-gauge, of course) that I photographed in the blogpost Everybody's Doin' The Loco Emotion. It was just a nice juxtaposition of images - the level crossing sign, the crooked tree, the white sand, the sea and the brooding grey sky on a hot summer evening. Nice range of colours, too.

Donald Dusk

Finally, The Sun Is Over The Yardarm

Photograph copyright: DAVID McMAHON

As the rest of the world shivers in winter, it's still a scorching summer here in Australia. And as we enjoy five months of daylight saving from the last weekend of October to the last weekend in March, this mean that it only gets dark about nine o'clock. This would have been tough if you belonged to the school of thought that only reached for the whiskey decanter after dark! This shot was taken on Hindley Street, which is the main restaurant strip in beautiful Adelaide, capital of South Australia and as you can see from the large digital clock, it was 8.50pm. The scene captivated me on several counts - the colonial architecture, the azure sky, the neon lighting and the many different light patterns on the footpath and walls and across the laneway in mid-frame. And I only just realised there is one unique thing about this picture. For a street that is always pulsating with action, there is not a single person in the shot.