Bridge Players

And Now, For My Next Trick ....

Photographs copyright: DAVID McMAHON

These two photographs were taken some months ago, in the depths of Melbourne's winter. I didn't actually go out specifically to shoot these images, but I had to walk over Prince Bridge to get to Federation Square. I remember being captivated by the sight of this solitary branch clawing upwards.

To me, the very attraction of the shot was its starkness. There was the silver paint on the metal scroll, in complete contrast to the power of Nature. I only took one shot on my way to Fed Square and then on my way back, I took this frame (below), to provide a completely different viewpoint of the creeper beside the bridge.


Check out RuneE's "Building Bridges" theme at Visual Norway.

Read All About It

Time To Bridge The Gap

Photographs copyright: DAVID McMAHON

Despite quite a few visits to Singapore since I was eleven years old, I don’t think I had ever come across the beam-structured Read Bridge until just before Christmas last year.

I was on my way to India and had very little time to spare, because I was only in transit for a day and a half and I wanted to shoot as many old-world images of the prosperous island-state as I possibly could. (Some of those photographs can be seen at Turn The Corner, Get Your Mind Out Of The Gutter and Open And Shutter Case.)

I was advised to spend some time at Clarke Quay and thought I’d be in and out of there in about twenty minutes. Yeah, right. From the moment I wandered in and shot some frames of a man washing down a glass-topped tourist boat, I probably spent close to three hours there.

I was captivated by the array of colours and sights at the riverside attraction. Comprising a huge array of restored warehouses, restaurants and nightclubs, the area is named after Sir Andrew Clarke, the second governor of Singapore.

Some of the brightly-painted junks moored at the mini-harbour also serve as restaurants, while others are used as sightseeing ferries for tourists. I thought about taking a quick trip on one, but there was so much colour and activity (and so little time) that I chose instead to walk around the whole area, exploring every nook, cranny, street corner, laneway and sub-precinct.

The light was moody, with thick grey cloud and little more than fractured sunlight, so the vibrant colours of the walls and windows were relatively easy to capture.

I walked several kilometers that day, shooting hundreds of frames. But no, I didn’t have any time to put my feet up. Next time I’m there, I’m sure I’ll find myself sitting by the dock of the bay.

Check out RuneE's "Building Bridges" theme at Visual Norway.

Sign Up

This Must Be The Abridged Version

Photograph copyright: DAVID McMAHON

Last month, I posted a couple of shots of Princes Bridge here in Melbourne, but today I thought I'd choose a different country. This was taken in Port Carling, Ontario, in September 2005. It was a difficult shot, because of the strong light and deep shadows, but I tried to make the shadows play across the surface of the yellow sign.

The Port Carling post office is in the background and if you look carefully you'll notice it was a very calm day, because the Canadian flag is limp on its halyard. This bridge, at Indian River, is very special to me, because it is described in my forthcoming novel, Muskoka Maharani, to be published by Penguin Books India.

If you'd like to see a pictorial narration of the plot, with images of the places and scenes actually described in the novel, just go to an earlier post of mine, called B Is For Beginning.

Check out RuneE's "Building Bridges" theme at Visual Norway.

Tunnel Vision

Seeing Things In A Different Light

Photographs copyright: DAVID McMAHON

Princes Bridge in Melbourne is just one of many graceful bridges across the Yarra River. This first shot (above) takes in only one of the spans of the beautiful bridge, but I'd like you to pay close attention to the underpass. There is actually a walking path and a cycle path under the bridge, beside the flowing water.

Now look at the second shot (below) and you'll get a clear view of the underpass. The stone walls on either side are built from bluestone, which is very common in buildings and construction work from the early Victorian era. Not really the sort of thing you'd photograph from a distance, but I had my 300mm lens on for this shot.

The reason I took the first two shots is to show you an amazing contrast. Most Melburnians are accustomed to seeing the underpass in terms of the dark-grey stone. I guess it has a gritty, old-world look to it. There is a certain Dickensian earthiness to it - and you would almost expect to see Bill Sykes in the vicinity.

But would you like to see a total - and dramatic - transformation rendered by very rare natural light?

Just have a look at the shot below and you'll see the same scene endowed with a special quality. This was one of the first frames I shot with my new lens, about three months ago. I was absolutely dazzled by the rising sun and then realised that the glow across the river had brushed the underpass with a glow I'd never seen before.

Check out RuneE's "Building Bridges" theme at Visual Norway.

Not So Jolly, Roger

Aye-Aye, Captain, There's A Pirate On The Bridge

Photograph copyright: DAVID McMAHON

It's not every day you come face to face with a seafarer in period costume. I shot this on a grey, rainy day in beautiful Quebec City in September 2005. Some places look unimpressive in inclement weather, but this historic city simply looks amazing in any light.

I was down on the wharf when I realised this tourist vessel was about to set sail for an hour-long cruise. I saw a couple of crew members getting ready to cast off the ropes from the dock and that's when I spotted this person in full regalia on the deck of the ship.

I raced up to the gangplank and asked if I could get aboard, take a few shots and then get off the vessel before it set sail. The crew members were puzzled. They couldn't believe that a tourist with cameras around his neck would not want to take the cruise. But I explained that I only had two days in Quebec City and did not have any time to spare.

They agreed, but I think they wondered about my sanity. So I sprinted up the gangplank, took my photographs and briefly pondered whether I would have to walk the plank to leave the ship. It wouldn't have worried me - but I would have done anything to prevent my cameras from getting wet!

Check out RuneE's "Building Bridges" theme at Visual Norway.