Friday, September 21, 2007

Ripple Effect

Ribbons Of Light Across The River

Photograph copyright: DAVID McMAHON


Maybe I'm attracted to water because I grew up in a wonderful, rambling house next to the Kidderpore docks in Calcutta, India. I also enjoy photographing the Yarra River here in Melbourne, because it shows many colours and many moods. This shot was taken pre-dawn, shooting across from the other bank, so I was using my 125mm lens. The picture is not enhanced in any way, so what you see here is exactly what I shot. I took only one frame, wthout a tripod, but I'm rather pleased with the result. The soft glow of the lights has been transformed into gentle ribbons across the black surface of the eddying river. Gotta be happy with that.

FOOTNOTE: Do slow eddies eventually become Fast Eddies?

Click here: Pentax K100D, Shutter speed 1/4, F4.5, ISO speed 800.

24 comments:

Serendipity said...

I like!

david mcmahon said...

G'day Serendipity,

Thank you. On the high-res image, there are actually lilac ripples in the bottom right-hand corner.

Lucky shot!

Do keep in touch

David

Mrs Mac said...

Reminded me immediately of the red hot pokers in my garden right now. I'm off to put a photo of them on my blog. Have a look and see what I mean!!

photowannabe said...

Love the lighting and the reflections.
Thanks for visiting my blog and your kind comments. Come again anytime.

whimsical brainpan said...

Beautiful!

Merisi said...

You should be very pleased with this image, it is magic! :-)

david mcmahon said...

Hi Helena,

Checked out the pictures and left a comment. Strange to think the red-hot pokers are blooming here too, even thought it's spring here and autumn in the UK!

Keep smiling

David

david mcmahon said...

Hi photowannabe,

Thank you. The shot would not have been as good without the ripples.

I was lucky - just in the right place at the right time!

Keep smiling

David

david mcmahon said...

Hi Whimsy,

Thanks - it was a beautiful, cold morning. Complete silence. I was the only person there.

So I think I was rewarded with the sight ....

Keep smiling

David

david mcmahon said...

Hi Merisi,

Thank you so much. See my comment to Whimsy (above) and you'll understand how lucky I was.

Without the ripples, it would have just been another reflection shot!

Lucky, very lucky!

Keep smiling

David

Lin said...

I just LOVE shots of night light reflections on water. They remind me of so many marvelous outings. I am trying to remember what water looks like now, let alone its reflections!

Nessa said...

I love the contrast between the square, ordered lights on the building and the free flowing, wiggling lines of light in the river.

Anonymous said...

Very nice shot and the colors are vivid too. Something usually gets washed out on night shots or water shots at night.

My photography over 50 years ago >Sendai, Japan

david mcmahon said...

Hi Lin,

Thank you very much. It's always a pleasure to hear from you.

There is something very calming about water ....

Keep smiling

David

david mcmahon said...

Hi Nessa,

You know, the strange thing is that' exactly what grabbed my attention in the first place ....

Keep smiling

David

david mcmahon said...

Hi OML,

I have much to learn from you.....

Keep smiling

David

Susan Helene Gottfried said...

Man, David, that's stunning.

Maybe between you and Carmi, I'll learn how to use my Nikon yet.

dot said...

That's a beautiful shot! YOU should get an award for that one!

david mcmahon said...

Hi Susan,

Thank you. I'm glad you think so.

I'd love to see some shots with your Nikon. How about this weekend you post some shots for us?

Keep smiling

David

david mcmahon said...

Hi Dot,

If blokes blush, then that's what I'm doing right now!

Thank you for those kind words. I was rather pleased with the shot. Strangely enough, I only shot one frame.

Cheers

David

Brian in Oxford said...

I recognize the source of the orange lights from inside the building. What are the white ribbons caused by? Streetlights above?

Oh, and slow eddies turn into Crazy Eddies....their prices are INSANE! (very local joke there, but you could probably google it...)

Dottie said...

Beautiful picture. Love how the colors turned out. You know... I've never modified or enhanced any pictures I've taken.. mainly because I haven't learned that PhotoShop or ImageReady programs.

2nd Cup of Coffee said...

I'm wondering how it was (circumstantially, not literally) that you were born and reared in India.

Lakshmi said...

Beautiful ...Im now feeling very nostalgic abt my Melbourne trip made 12 years ago...It was my first ever international trip and India still did not know what email and mobile phones were ...I was so overwhelmed when I came to melbourne ..