Party To The Decision

Some Celebrations Leave You Deflated

Photographs copyright: DAVID McMAHON

I thought I'd do this week's theme with an Australian twist. You see, a child's birthday party is always marked with balloons festooned on the family's mailbox. This shot (above) was taken a year ago, when a friend held her daughter's birthday party in a park on a glorious early-autumn day. The park is dotted with barbecue areas and huge wooden gazebos and the family had tied balloons everywhere on this barbecue area - so the guests would identify it immediately.

But look carefully at this shot and you'll see that one of the three balloons tied to the pine upright has obviously been on the receiving end of a tiny pine splinter. But it hasn't popped completely, nor has it deflated entirely. It looks like a clown's red nose. I couldn't resist taken the image from this intriguing angle. I reckon the shot really makes you take a second glance just to try and work out what it is.


Here are some more balloons, this time with a blue-and-white theme - complete with blue ribbon. It's not unusual to see balloons in the colours of Aussie Rules Football teams.


Yesterday I decided to drive down Waverley Road, Malvern, to take some shots of a shop called (you guessed it) The Party Shop. These balloons (above) were being buffeted around outside the shop, in the cool, brisk breeze. As you can see, the silver star, filled with helium, is really being tossed around.


And you just couldn't miss this sign (above) on the footpath outside the shop. Look carefully on the concrete and you'll see the first of the autumn leaves - yep, today is the first day of autumn here in Australia.


This is the awning (above) of the Party Shop. It was a challenging shot because everything under the awning was in shade, while the lunchtime light conditions out on the street were really bright.


Finally, this is the shopfront, in suitably bright colours. In the top right you can see the balloon in the shape of a cat, while the reflections through the glass are tantalising for party enthusiasts of all ages. Whose birthday is next? Is it yours?

Can You Hear The Drums, For Nando's?

A Journalist Never Reveals His Sauces

Photographs copyright: DAVID McMAHON

This is the beauty of digital technology, because I only just shot these frames, less than an hour ago. I was driving down Waverley Road here in Melbourne, when I noticed a Nando's delivery truck parked outside a newsagent. I immediately indicated, swung into a nearby parking spot - they can be hard to find on this stretch. I walked over to the driver of the van to ask his permission to photograph the van to highlight the bright colours and the slogan for Nando's famous Peri-Peri sauce. The first frame is a tight shot of the side of the van, while the second is a three-quarter frame to show you the van's surroundings. And for all my overseas readers - the Herald Sun, The Australian and The Age are all newspapers.

FOOTNOTE: Must have been a Peri Mason mystery!

Click here: Pentax K100D, Shutter speed 1/350, F9.5, ISO speed 200.

Profit And Gloss Statement

This Must be Charlie's Sheen

Photograph copyright: DAVID McMAHON

I was on my way down Waverley Road this afternoon when I noticed this tree. It didn't have many leaves on it, but the few that graced the branches just had this incredible colour. They looked as if they were made of some light metal that had somehow corroded. When I walked across the road to the tree, I also noticed that many of the leaves had a high-gloss surface, as you can see by the sheen on their surface (no, the image isn't digitally enhanced!).

The icy blue sky made a great backdrop in terms of sheer contrast. And when I say icy, I mean icy. How cold was it today? Not very, according to the mercury, which stood at about 11 Celsius for the day's top. But a colleague who skied in Canada in 20 below reckons he felt colder today. And he's a Kiwi. He would know, mate.

Take A Bough

Mr Leaf Erikson, I Presume?

Photograph copyright: DAVID McMAHON

Yet another perfect late-autumn afternoon in Melbourne. A top temperature of 20 Celsius today - much warmer than normal. I took this shot on Waverley Road, to combine the striking autumn foliage with the crisp blue sky.