A Is For Angel

This Melbourne Landmark Is Larger Than Life

Photographs copyright: DAVID McMAHON

So, did you spot the angel in the photograph above? No, don't look in the sky. The large sculpture by the riverside is called "The Angel". One of Deborah Halpern's signature pieces of art, it was commissioned 22 years ago, in 1987, for Australia’s Bicentennial celebrations the following year.

This sequence of images was shot exactly two years ago, on an icy cold Melbourne winter day. And just in case you're looking at the image above and thinking the trees don't look like our normal Aussie gum trees, you're dead right. They're actually English elms, planted all along the Yarra River by the early settlers.


I was standing at the area of parkland known as Birrarung Marr, photographing Deborah Halpern's masterpiece when I realised that if I stood under the 30-foot tall (almost 10 metres) work of art , I could actually use its shape as a triangular frame for the cityscape.

Angel's first home was actually the south moat of the nearby National Gallery Victoria, or NGV, but it was moved in 2006 to its present spot at Birrarung Marr.

This shot (above) was taken under the work of art, looking directly across the river. A few second after I took that frame, I wondered if I would somehow be able to find an angle where I could actually photograph Princes Bridge.

The short answer was yes. As you can see from the image below, I was able to compose an asymmetrical shot to include not only all three spans of the prominent bridge, but even the surface of the Yarra, as well as the towering Rialto. It used to be Melbourne's tallest building until Eureka Tower (visible in the second frame) took that distinction when it opened in 2006.


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Cloud Controller

Looks Like Another Golden Anniversary

Photographs copyright: DAVID McMAHON

It’s just before dawn and I’m on the freeway. The first city exit is on my left and as I indicate for the ramp, I can see pink spreading quickly across the low cloud scattered across the eastern sky. Decision time. Do I pull over as soon as I find a parking spot?

Here’s the equation. My view will be obscured by several structures. Yes, I have a long lens, but I don’t fancy my chances of a great shot here. So, do I drive on for another five minutes, park my car in a multi-storey car park on the fringe of the city and then hot-foot it down to the river?

I take the second option, knowing that the pink tinges will have vanished by the time I get there. About seven or eight minutes later, I’m down by the river at Southbank, with Princes Bridge about 250 metres away, between me and the sunrise.

I’m not surprised to see that the colours have changed drastically. Now they span gold and several shades of brown. Do I walk or sprint to the bridge to get a clear composition of the sky? No, I decide to compose a shot that is distinctly Melbourne.


I include the bridge and I choose the overhanging branch of a nearby plane tree as a handy motif. It’s very quiet because even the early-morning trickle of office workers has not started. There is no one on the riverbank, no one on the footbridge and no one in my immediate vicinity.

Because of my solitude, I hear a soft but familiar Melbourne sound. It is the sound of kayakers’ oars as their glide through the still water. It’s only at this stage that I notice the golden glow across the metal handrails in front of me.

Half an hour later, the sky is overcast and grey. It’s a bit like life, isn’t it? Sometimes you have to make an effort to see true beauty rather than the mundane. And it’s always worth it.


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Hue And Try

Warm Wishes From Wintry Melbourne

Photographs copyright: DAVID McMAHON

Sometimes I think the only place more beautiful than Melbourne by day is, well, Melbourne by night. The familiar sights and shapes and views take on such a different personality after the last of the day’s natural light has disappeared.

Because this city – like most villages built by our forefathers – is sited along a river, we are blessed with waterside views that most of us probably take for granted.

Last Thursday night the entire Authorblog clan was in the city’s business district for a special function and after it was over we walked in a leisurely manner to a restaurant for dinner. It was a very balmy evening for this time of year, with winter only five weeks away (and yes, the weather has turned since then, with snow already).

I wasn't using a tripod (I never do) so the clarity of the shot is a pretty good indication of a steady hand.

I took a couple of frames of the shimmering colours reflected across the Yarra’s surface when I noticed a person walking slowly past the waterfront. I didn’t want to be intrusive, so I shot the scene from where I stood, using the human figure as a counterpoint against the many hues on the water.

It was a truly mellow sight on a truly mellow evening.


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A Tribute To Autumn

Scene And Unseen, On The Yarra's Surface

Photographs copyright: DAVID McMAHON

This sequence was shot early on Thursday morning, as I walked across the pedestrian footbridge that connects Flinders Street Station to Southbank. The sun was still at a very shallow angle and because it was a cool morning, there was a bit of haze around.

Normally, I would not even have taken my camera out of the bag. But I had barely taken half a dozen steps across the bridge when I noticed that there was only a very gentle breeze, which is extremely unusual for Melbourne, especially around the water.


So I shot these four frames quickly, in less than 90 seconds. The object of the exercise was simply to show you that on a hazy day, a reflection is sometimes more intense and robust in colour quality than the original object itself. That, of course, is the opposite to normal weather conditions in clear light and a standard breeze, when a reflection can never match what is above the water.

Scroll back and take a look for yourself. In the first shot, the row of plane trees themselves are not quite as striking as their water-enhanced rendering. In each frame, the bottom area (or the reflection) is better quality than the top.


If you're wondering why the breeze played a part, here's the answer. The normal Melbourne breeze ruffles the surface of the water, leaving no discernible reflection at all on the Yarra River.

I was about to put the lens cap back on my camera when I noticed this red-clad jogger going past. Naturally, I had to take the shot - because I knew the two people in black (or dark blue) would not be visible on the water's surface, while the red jogger would stand out like a beacon.


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The Last Straw

I’m Not Talking Through My Hat

Photographs copyright: DAVID McMAHON

A few days ago, I was walking across the pedestrian footbridge from Southbank to Flinders Street Station, when I noticed a strange sight. I’m accustomed to seeing black swans on the Yarra, as well as a variety of other birds.

But there was something in the water that I could not identify. It was a long way away. Was it an albino duck?

It was 100 degrees and the sun was beating down mercilessly. But I simply had to solve the mystery.

Then I realised it wasn’t a bird. Was the tide bringing it closer to me or away from me? It was hard to tell. Then, with the object about 100 metres away, the penny dropped.

It was a woman’s broad-brimmed straw hat, a familiar – and popular - piece of headgear on scorching summer days like this. But Melbourne’s breeze is capricious and very strong. Sometimes you really need to hold on to your hat in more ways than one.


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High Tea

You Stringing Me Along, Mister?

Photograph copyright: DAVID McMAHON

Some kind soul had just refilled the bowl of tea bags at work when I walked past with my camera a couple of days ago. Naturally, I had to take the shot before I got back to my desk.

I grew up in a family where tea leaves were stirred into a teapot of boiling water and tea was poured through a strainer into china teacups. But I have to confess that I have always bought tea bags, simply for convenience.

About fifteen years ago, I interviewed a member of the famous Twinings family, well known for their range of fine tea and the company that was founded three centuries ago. At the start of the interview, I mentioned that I had been to a boarding school in Darjeeling, the Himalayan town famous for its mountain views and its tea gardens.

So at the end of the interview, he said he had a question for me. Fire away, I said.

He asked me how I drank my tea. He said he was confident I drank it black, the way tea is intended to be drunk by connoisseurs.

Er, no, I confessed, I actually stir some condensed milk into my cup of tea. Being British, he was remarkably restrained in his reaction. He just raised one eyebrow. I didn't have the heart to tell him I don't use "real" loose tea leaves either.

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

Cruise, Tom

Just The Ticket For A View Of Melbourne

Photographs copyright: DAVID McMAHON

With the weather warming up, the cruise vessels down the Yarra River get proportionally busier. When we first came to live in Melbourne 20 years ago, there were four months of daylight saving every year, from the last weekend of October to the first weekend of March.


Things have changed now. It was decided a few years ago to extend daylight saving until the end of March. And this year, for the first time, daylight saving began on the first weekend of October so we now have long daylight hours for exactly half the year.

Back in 2000, when Sydney hosted the Olympics, we actually went into daylight saving at the start of September, specifically because of the Games. So there's an interesting piece of Olympic trivia that you might not have known.

Oh, and here's another Olympic story - when Melbourne hosted the 1956 Games, the equestrian events were actually held in Stockholm, Sweden, because of Australia's strict quarantine laws.


The move towards longer daylight hours is good news for tour operators and for the restaurants that make this city famous. It was a warm, sunny afternoon when I took these shots. Now if you’ll excuse me, I’ll just go and grab a ticket for myself …..


By the way, if you're wondering about the huge silver figures that grace the diagonal bridge in the background of this shot (above) let me tell you they are an integral part of this city's multicultural background. The figures pay homage to those who left their homelands to live here, in this sunburnt country.

The story of the huge figures that actually move up and down the length of the disused Sandridge Rail Bridge is detailed in a previous post I wrote, and can be found at Action Figures.

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Ol' Man River

Paul Robeson Would Have Loved This City

Photograph copyright: DAVID McMAHON

Where's Batman when you need him? Naaaaah, relax, this ain't Gotham City and there's no sign of The Joker or The Riddler. This is Melbourne, the graceful southern city that is the capital of Victoria.

But why the reference to Batman? Because a bloke called John Batman chose this site, famously saying it would be a great place for a village. Not surprisingly, that village is now a world-class city, so I guess Batman knew a thing or two about picking a great spot.

I took this shot from the pedestrian footbridge that links the north and south banks of the Yarra River, the same stretch of water up which Batman travelled to find a suitably inhabitable spot. To my right, when I hit the shutter, was the CBD and Flinders Street Station. To my left was Southbank, famous for its promenade, its restaurants, Eureka Tower, its office buildings and its proximity to the true heart of Melbourne - the vibrant arts precinct.

Every time I fly back to Melbourne from a trip interstate or overseas, I give Batman a nod of approval. Come on over and you'll see why he was right. Let me know before you get here and I'll take you to Batman Avenue. No kidding ....

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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.

Ripple Effect

Here's My Watertight Argument

Photograph copyright: DAVID McMAHON

The way light plays across any object – be it a landscape or a living thing – always endows it with a certain uniqueness. Because a scene is lit in a certain way at midday today does not mean it will be lit in exactly the same way at midday tomorrow. That, to me, is one of the great joys of photography.

When I was about twelve years old, I had an old Box Brownie in a leather case. Late one evening, I once saw a full moon playing across the surface of a pond, so I picked up the camera and shot the scene.

Weeks later, when I had finally finished the twelve-exposure roll and my Dad had it developed for me, I was completely downcast. As I studied the little black-and white prints, I could not understand how my splendid shot of the moon and its own reflection was nothing but lots of inky blackness, a little white dot for the moon and a pencil-thin spear of light across the bottom of the picture instead of the wonderful shimmering reflection I had seen.

Looking back on it now, I guess that single experience, that single shot, is the sole reason I enjoy using my camera in very low-light conditions. Balancing the constant equation of shutter speed, aperture and focal length can still be a testing experience – but hell, it’s great fun. And on a digital SLR, it’s a huge advantage to be able to review your image instantly and re-shoot it if you’re not satisfied.

I’ve photographed this scene across the Yarra, looking towards Princes Bridge, several times. I’ve shot it in pre-dawn blackness to capture reflections, I’ve shot it under clear blue skies, I’ve shot it under grey, moody skies. A river is a wonderful thing to photograph, because it mirrors light, it mirrors conditions and it mirrors everything around and above it.

I was walking across the pedestrian footbridge last week when I noticed the way the early-morning sunlight – just as the moonlight caught my attention all those years ago – was dancing across the water like some lean, incandescent lightsabre. Naturally, I had to stop and get my camera out. I had a 70-300mm lens with me, but I shot it with the versatile 18-125mm lens instead.

Why did I shoot it vertically instead of horizontally? It all depends on what you’re trying to highlight in the shot – and in this case I was able to capture the shimmer in the middle of the frame, with just one span of the three-span bridge and the giant ferris wheel in the background.

So don’t be afraid to use your camera in any weather. You just never know what sort of light you’ll be blessed with.

Pink, Floyd

Winter Sunrise Is A Real Freeze Frame

Photograph copyright: DAVID McMAHON

This shot was taken just before dawn about four months ago, during the Australian winter. I was walking across Princes Bridge here in Melbourne and the wind was icy but bracing. Halfway across the bridge I stopped and got my camera out because the colours in the sky were just amazing. I stood there for about three or four minutes and shot maybe a dozen frames. This was halfway through the sequence and I opted to go vertical because the reflected pink light was just shimmering all across the surface of the Yarra. With "pink" being the subject for this week's Photo Hunt, I knew this had to be my contribution.

Swan Lake

To Beak Or Not To Beak, That Is The Question

Photograph copyright: DAVID McMAHON

I was in the city just before dawn today and figured I would take my camera down to the river. There was just a light breeze and I shot about thirty frames and was walking away when my attention was caught by an unusual fluttering noise. I turned and through the darkness I saw a movement on the water. It was a swan - a typical Australian black swan with a red beak. I shot two photographs and kept walking.

But for some reason, I could not take my eyes off the swan. A few second later I realised it was going to swim through the reflection of two high-rise office buildings, so I got my camera out again and shot this solitary frame. I didn't have a tripod and I didn't even stop to brace myself to take the shot. I took this literally in mid-stride.

Now, twelve hours later, I'm sitting here in my study and reviewing the day's pictures. And that's when it hits me, the realisation of just what a rare image this is. I've lived in Melbourne for twenty years and the only place I've seen black swans is in the zoo. I've never seen them on the Yarra. Never.

FOOTNOTE: I should have worn my cygnet ring.