Too Many Pink Gins

Hairstyle's OK, Dulcie, But That Colour's Wrong

Photograph copyright: DAVID McMAHON

This shot was taken in Montreal's Gay Village area, way back in 2005. I was on a very tight schedule that morning, as I had to check out of my hotel and catch a flight to Toronto, where I had a rental car waiting for me to head out to Muskoka for a few days.

But I'd been told by a friend that I had to spend at least half an hour photographing the sights in this part of the city - and there was certainly no shortage of things to shoot.

This huge figurine was on an exterior wall and I took this and a couple of other frames from the main street. Maybe it was a punk rock venue. Or a pink rock venue.

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

Olympic Mettle

Tower Power in Montreal

Photographs copyright: DAVID McMAHON

Ever checked out the place at 4549 Pierre de Coubertin Avenue in Montreal? It's big. It's prime real estate. It's instantly recognisable. But it ain't for sale.

The Stade Olympique (or Olympic Stadium) is not just a symbol of the city, it is also a reminder of the 1976 Olympic Games. The famously angled tower, la tour de Montreal, is 175 metres tall, the highest inclined tower in the world.

I posted this shot in my very early days as a blogger, when I was lucky to get half a dozen visitors each day, so if there is a bit a deja vu here, then you must surely have been one of the first visitors to this blog. I guess I like the shot because it makes you look twice. Yes, it's easily recognisable as the main stadium of the 1976 Montreal Olympic Games, but there is also something about the image that is not quite normal.

That's because it's a reflection. So sit back and allow me to tell you the story.

I was in Montreal for a couple of days in late 2005 and tried to cover as much of the city - on foot and by car - as possible. I used to get up before the crack of dawn and I was still shooting as the clock approached midnight. I thoroughly enjoyed myself, but I think I was so tired at the end of the trip that I must have switched my brain off.

Yes, there I was at Montreal airport, checking in for the next leg of my flight when I realised I had left my blazer and formal trousers in my hotel room.

Okay, if you must know, the airline rep let me use her phone and the hotel very kindly and very efficiently mailed the clothes to me so that they were waiting for me in Port Carling a couple of days later. And yes, I have since switched my brain back on again. And yes, I can hear you whispering irreverently that it's made no difference!

Anyway, the morning I visited the Olympic stadium there was some interesting cloud in the sky, so I got several moody shots of the controversial roof and the angled tower. I thought this shot (above) was about as good as I could get, because the top of the tower is not visible in the main shot - but it is clearly visible in the reflection in the window. It was an interesting way to frame it, especially with the undulation of the roof through the shot.

I shot the sight from every conceivable angle and then crossed the street to get back to the van. As I did so, I realised that I had stumbled on the best shot of all.

The stadium was reflected in the passenger window, so I lined it up to give an intriguing view. I framed it really painstakingly - so that the back-to-front lettering is visible. It's as if you're looking at a hazy shot of the Olympic landmark - then you notice the edges of the vehicle's large door and the roof rack, as well as brickwork in the background. The shot would not have worked this well in the smaller door or window of a sedan.

And the really interesting observation, in retrospect, is this - it's my favourite shot of the entire hour, but it was taken with my back to the stadium, looking away from it.

Just goes to show, never put your camera away until you've exhausted every angle, even the inconceivable.

Visit Mama Geek and Cecily, creators of Photo Story Friday.

Seeing The Light

It Was Like The Stairway To Heaven

Photographs copyright: DAVID McMAHON

A couple of years ago, I arrived in Montreal on the second leg of a photography assignment for the Canadian Tourism Commission. I dropped my luggage off at my hotel and immediately set out on foot to explore the city. It was not long before I found myself at the Notre-Dame Basilica or Basilique Notre-Dame, as the locals refer to it.

Instead of walking straight to the basilica, I took several shots in and around the square before walking over to the front of the great cathedral. To my good luck, the time lapse while shooting scenes in the vicinity worked to my advantage.

Right in front of one of the large banners proclaiming "And Then There Was Light" was a maintenance worker. He was up a ladder, replacing a light globe. He noticed me as I got my cameras out. Catching my eye, he courteously asked me if I would like him to get down and move the ladder out of the way so I could get an unobstructed view.

I grinned. I told him not to worry. I could get a shot of the basilica at any time. But it would take a huge effort to choreograph someone changing a light globe in front of a sign that said "And Then There Was Light" – at such a magnificent place of spirituality and worship.

As far as timing goes, I could not have been luckier. Maybe there was a little divine intervention on my behalf.

Visit Mama Geek and Cecily, creators of Photo Story Friday.

Who's Giving Me The Gold Shoulder?

The Perfect Platform For A Quick Photograph

Photograph copyright: DAVID McMAHON

Sometimes a totally unexpected sight can make an arresting image. I shot this in a Montreal Metro walkway, using a little Pentax Optio. It's always tempting to shoot along a floor line because it gives you a sense of perspective, but in this case I shot upwards, using the pattern of the ceiling to accentuate the reflections and also to provide an idea of distance.

The photograph is deliberately asymmetrical, in order to emphasise the unusual quality of the light, as well as the reflection. The lighting and the reflection along the walls draws your line of sight along, and the resultant image looks like some sort of celestial highway.

Never be afraid to experiment while framing or constructing a photograph. Be flexible in your approach. If the first angle doesn't work for you, shoot from a few more - and you'll be amazed at how many possibilities open up, each one more creative than the one before.

Hair-Raising Stunt

Lock Around The Clock

Photographs copyright: DAVID McMAHON

This week's theme was always going to be a tough one. Then a few hours ago, I noticed that one of my colleagues had a huge, ornamental feather on her desk. So I told her what I was going to do, and I specified that I did not want her to pose for the shot.

Was I going to put her on my blog? Yes.

Was she going to be famous? Alas, no. Her smiling face was not going to be in the frame, just the top of her head and the feather. I explained how I was going to frame the shot and she gave me the thumbs-up. Thank goodness I work with colleagues who are good sports.

Then I got a brainwave and decided to break one of my golden rules. You know how I never "set up'' a shot? Well I just had to break that rule ....

You know how I just shoot what I see, exactly where I see it? Well, I asked another of my colleagues, a bloke called DB, if he would walk out with me at lunchtime so I could use the top of his head to compose a special shot at nearby Federation Square.

No, DB hasn't gone for the Untidy Mohawk Option - I just shot this to use the giant artistic red ``sticks'' as a creative interpretation of the theme.

I have to say it was a tough one to shoot, because it was very cloudy. While my initial instinct was to shoot from a favourable angle, I was thwarted by the quality of light, so DB and I had to move to a completely different angle to make the shot work.

This last photograph was taken in September 2005, during a two-day trip to Montreal. I literally stopped in my tracks when I saw this huge, striking figure on the facade of a shop in the city's gay district.

Alone Ranger

S Is For Solitude

Photographs copyright: DAVID McMAHON

This shot of the Rialto against the Melbourne sky was taken in 2006 - and I guess it’s a good way to depict this week’s theme of solitude. Until Eureka Tower was opened just across the river, the Rialto was the tallest building in Melbourne and this frame of the distinctive building was my way of capturing its lonely splendour against a striking sky.

When I was a cadet journalist in Calcutta, I worked under the editor and author M. J. Akbar, who began editing "Sunday", the national magazine, when he was still in his late twenties. The magazine was slanted to politics, news and current events, a perfect mix for a vibrantly democratic media in the post-Emergency era.

On one memorable occasion, Akbar decreed that the magazine was to be edited, in his absence during a brief overseas trip, by his good friend, the poet and film producer Pritish Nandy who would later move to Bombay/Mumbai to successfully edit The Illustrated Weekly of India. After that success, he moved on to the role of publishing director of the Times of India group before founding Pritish Nandy Communications.

Nandy declared that "Sunday" would be running a cover story on the theme of "loneliness". I blinked. I was surprised, but I was not alone. Every member of the editorial staff seemed puzzled. Why would a magazine, whose readers expected a weekly diet of politics and news, suddenly deal with what seemed to be such an ephemeral subject?

But I was a cadet, remember. And this was a learning curve, remember. Nandy asked the brilliant New Delhi-based photographer Raghu Rai to send him a selection of black-and-white images to go with the cover story.

The upshot? Simple. The magazine's mailbag was overflowing. The cover story touched a chord in the hearts of hundreds of readers from all round the country. I guess that was the day I learnt that there are other things – apart from headlines, deadlines and breaking news – that matter to the readers.

Solitude is an amazing thing. We all crave it sometimes - but we never crave too much of it. So often, in everyday life and in corporate halls, we hear the phrases "give me some space" or "I need time out" or "I’ll get back to you". So many of us seek "our space".

But do we truly revel in being alone? Truly? Probably not, but I'd like to know what you think.


I took this shot (above) in a Montreal park in late 2005. I used a Canon EOS 3000 and it’s interesting, in retrospect, to note that I only shot one frame. Across the street from where I stood was a man on a bench. He sat alone, and whether or not he had a companion elsewhere in the park, I could not tell.

I didn’t want to encroach on his space as he delved into a paper bag containing his lunch. His clothes were well worn but not threadbare. He was unshaven and his hair was long. Like most human beings, he probably had a poignant story to tell. But all I did was frame him on film, enshrined in a cathedral of ancient green trees. Maybe if time wasn’t so tight, I would have said "G’day" and asked him if he was lonely and sat and chatted to him for a while.

Many times since I was blessed by becoming a parent, I have played the card game Uno with my children. Solitude is a fleeting theme in this grand game, where the object is to get rid of all your cards before anyone else, and where the word "Uno" (Italian for "one") must be spoken aoud before playing your final card.

But there are many types of solitude, most of which we do not seek. There is even medical solitude, which I would not wish on anyone. I saw one of my parents ravaged by Alzheimer’s. That’s not solitude. That is loss. Everybody’s loss. And I really mean everybody.

For the home of ABC Wednesday, go to Mrs Nesbitt's Place.

Fall Guy

Do We Always Find The Right Balance?

Photographs copyright: DAVID McMAHON

I had a very interesting email from Merisi, whose blog Vienna For Beginners recently achieved the milestone of 50,000 visitors. Merisi had a chuckle at the predicament I described in my Camera Critters post titled Lion Down On The Job Again. I mentioned that I had almost fallen flat on my face in order to get the exact camera angle I wanted while taking a shot in Chinatown, Montreal.

Merisi, who is always very quick on the uptake, asked me if I would care to share any funny experiences on the subject. I have to say I have never completely lost my balance while taking a photograph, but in no particular order a) I constantly walk out in the rain to take interesting shots; b) I once worked under an umbrella in pouring rain in Quebec City; c) I have often been seen lying prone on the grass to take a shot.

But fall on my butt? Nope. Not yet, at any rate. But if and when I do, you’ll be the first to hear about it. Fair dinkum.


However, I had an interesting experience in Montreal in 2005. I was at the World Trade Centre, a fascinating meld of ancient and modern architecture. I wanted to capture a shot of the beautiful reclining statue of Amphitrite, famous in mythology as Poseidon's wife. I was intrigued by how dark the water looked, even though it was broad daylight.

This was because of the roof structure and the height of the surrounds, but the soft, shimmering reflection of the surrounding lighting made the shot irresistible.


I took a few shots with a digital Pentax, but I wanted one final series of shots with my film-based Canon EOS 3000. So, with the camera slung around my neck, I stood up – in brave but foolhardy fashion - on the concrete parapet that surrounds the long, rectangular pool. I took a couple of quick shots, concentrating very hard on maintaining my balance.

But I am six foot three and so I have a fairly high centre of gravity. I also have size eleven feet, so I was very conscious of the fact that I needed to make sure they were firmly planted on the narrow ledge while I worked.

And then I almost came to grief. With my camera still held firmly to my eye, I crabbed sideways in a cautious shuffle to get a better angle and my foot slipped for one brief moment. I was never in danger, because I was literally inching along – but as you can see from this shot (above) my orientation was slightly askew. The camera was slightly off balance when I hit the shutter – so the horizontal orientation of the shot is slightly out of kilter.

It wasn’t until I got back to Melbourne that I realised something very interesting. A group of women office workers can be seen clearly in the windows depicted in the image below. They had obviously been watching me work – and were probably placing bets on how long it would take me to disgrace myself and fall head-first into the water.

Lion Down On The Job Again

It's Time To Dance A Simba Samba

Photographs copyright: DAVID McMAHON

It was late evening, the light had begun to fade, and there was no colour in the sky at all, so it was a bit of a challenge to make these photographs work. It was September 2005 and I was in Montreal, halfway through a ten-day photography assignment for the Canadian Tourism Commission.

These lions are at the entrace to Chinatown and because the light wasn't great, I decided to work with unusual angles instead. I had to work quickly, because the light was degenerating swiftly. As you can see at the mid-point of the first frame (above) a lot of the restaurants already had their streetside lighting on.

I shot these with a Canon EOS 3000, using multi-purpose 400 ASA Kodak film. Lions play such an important part in Chinese culture and as soon as I saw these white concrete lions, I was reminded of the similar ones that guard Chinatown in my home city of Melbourne, which suddenly seemed very far away.

In the second frame (below) I was practically flat on my face trying to get the lion into the frame with a generous view of the overhead archway. I guess it must have been worth all the effort, because if you look carefully, you can see the "twin" lion on the other side of the street.

Like the Eagles used to sing, ya just can't hide your lion eyes!

Check out the rules at Camera Critters or go to Misty Dawn.

I Is For Imax

Free-Dimensional View of Montreal

Photograph copyright: DAVID McMAHON

Two years ago, I was fortunate enough to do a photographic assignment for the Canadian Tourism Commission and I got to travel to Quebec City, Montreal and several places in Muskoka. This shot of the Imax cinema was taken on my last night in Montreal.

I did a lot of walking on that trip, especially in Quebec City and Montreal. As far as possible, I did not want to worry about a rental car. Why? First of all, I wanted to be able to concentrate entirely on the photography and I wanted to be able to stop on any street at any time and take as many shots as necessary.

Had I been driving, I would not have been able to focus entirely on the sights and I would have been more worried about finding a parking spot.

It was a balmy evening and I could have put my feet up in my hotel, the beautiful Queen Elizabeth, where members of royalty and heads of state have stayed. But I just wanted to soak up as much of the city as I could, so I had dinner, put on my stout hiking boots (so wisely chosen by Mrs Authorblog) and headed out again.

I was using a Canon EOS 3000, shooting film, but I also had digital technology slung over my shoulder as well. I took this shot with a little Pentax Optio 33 LF. I was literally standing on the pavement outside the theatre and I didn't just want to take a stand-and-deliver shot, so I composed this frame, for a "different" view. Looking back at my Montreal folder now, it's interesting to see I only shot one image of the Imax theatre. No, it's not arrogance - I think I was just satisfied that I had an unusual angle.

The vertical and horizontal neon strips worked perfectly, a great foil against the darkness. But I was also lucky that a street light was in just the right spot, so by shooting upwards (and without a tripod) I was able to use its glow to give character to what would otherwise have been a relatively bare corner of the frame.

If you take a close look at the street light, you'll actually see the reflection of its soft glow across the ridged metal surface of the pole as well. It's a value-added extra that just gives a little more dimension to an image that is basically a very simple shot. As I always say to budding photographers - don't always shoot the first view that comes into your mind, try and see if there are minor add-ons that could enhance the quality of the scene you're trying to capture.

A number of my work colleagues have used my photographs as the background on their computers. One of them, a sport-crazy bloke, has had this shot on his PC ever since I came back from Canada. Why? Because his name's Max - and he reckons I partially obscured the "I" in the Imax sign for his benefit.

Now that's really a case of taking it to the Max.

For the home of ABC Wednesday, go to Mrs Nesbitt's Place.

Flow-On Effect

Water, Water, Everywhere, Except In Melbourne

Photographs copyright: DAVID McMAHON

There's an interesting challenge from the New York City blogger Daryle, who has thrown down the gauntlet, inviting us to post photographs of fountains. As it happens, none of Melbourne's water fountains are operational, because of the drought and the severe water restrictions.

However, I took this photograph (above) of a fountain in Montreal two years ago, during a photographic assignment for the Canadian Tourism Commission. The fountain was near my hotel, the Queen Elizabeth, and the shot was taken very early in the morning, before the sun had risen.

But these two photographs (below) were taken in Singapore in mid-December. I was walking down Orchard Road on a hot, humid day when I took these two shots. They were both taken with a 125mm lens, at 1/500th of second, F8 and ISO 200. Which of the two Singapore close-ups do you prefer?

Another Brick In The Wall

It's Montreal's Brick-And-Mortar Rainbow

A wall in Montreal's Gay Village. Photograph copyright: DAVID McMAHON

Well Trained

Oui, It's A Touch Of Paris In Montreal

Photograph copyright: DAVID McMAHON

The post Paris, How Do I Love Thee by Country Girl City Living contains a picture of the Paris Metro. Her post reminded me of this photograph (above) I had in my archives. This Metro sign, a replica of the Parisian signs, was a gift from the French capital to the citizens of Montreal. It was taken at Square-Victoria two years ago, during a photography assignment that I did for the Canadian Tourism Commission. It was a cloudy morning, but that's part of the challenge when you want to make a picture "happen".

Apple, Max?

It's A Theatre, So Please Don't Make A Scene

Photograph copyright: DAVID McMAHON

This is the IMAX theatre in Montreal. I shot this in late 2005, while I was on a photographic assignment for the Canadian Tourism Commission. As you know, I enjoy an unusual angle and this view worked well for me. The splashes of colour were just sufficient to make the shot work, and I particularly wanted the street light in the shot, with the beautiful reflection along the metal surface of the light pole. A good friend of mine, whose name is Max, has this shot saved to the background of the PC at work - for obvious reasons!

FOOTNOTE: Now that's deja view.

Click here: Pentax Optio, Shutter speed 1/60, F2.6, ISO speed 200.

Get Me To The Church On Time

Check Out The Perfect Symmetry Of This Scene

Photographs copyright: DAVID McMAHON

One of the things I love about Montreal is that there is a photographic opportunity on every street corner. The city's great history and its strong religious faith are reflected in the way it has developed. The image above really sums up the way I saw Montreal. I saw it as a city of churches and basilicas, as well as office blocks that reflect its commercial success. This was a neat shot because it almost looks like the historic church and the modern skyscraper are actually blending seamlessly into one another. The symmetry is so good that the church's central spire and those on either side actually embrace the glassy tower behind. And the image below is a rendering of what the same shot would look like as an oil painting.

Forest Trump

In The Pink Of Health

Photo copyright: DAVID McMAHON

This is what the good citizens of Montreal refer to as the Lipstick Forest. The manmade pink ``trees'' were the perfect foil for the recessed lighting that reflected off the concourse. I was captivated by the scene for a couple of reasons. First, the texture of the ceiling meant that the trees were actually reflected in the ceiling itself. Second, the flooring provided a soft reflection of the overhead lighting in the main concourse. I took about four or five frames but this one had the balance just right, between the pink on the left and the gold on the right. It was a quirky shot, but one that just had to be taken because it was so unusual.

Dark De Triomphe

Perfect Time To Glow With The Flow

Photograph copyright: DAVID McMAHON

It was close to midnight in Montreal and I was on my way back to the beautiful Queen Elizabeth Hotel (world-famous for the historic ``love-in'' peace protest by Yoko Ono and her late husband, John Lennon) when I had to get my camera out for the last shot of the day. The floodlights on the building gave that lovely glow in the background, and the graceful arch gave me a handy backdrop. The set of traffic lights in silhouette gave the picture a bit more perspective, and as you can see from the street sign, I was on the memorable Rue St Catherine, where it seems that no one ever sleeps.

Nice Hue, Hefner

Blue Clue Is Time For Reflection

Photograph copyright: DAVID McMAHON

Yes, I know it looks like one of those Magic Eye-type hidden images where you have to try and look ``inside'' the image to see the true picture - but it's nothing as complex as that. It is simply the reflection of one office building in another. I took this shot while walking down a Montreal street at about seven o'clock in the morning. I had woken up early to photograph as many street scenes as I could when I saw this - and it stopped me in my tracks instantly. The light was low, the blue hues almost like a painting. It was one of my more memorable pictures that morning. No filters, no tricks. Exactly like I saw it.