Monday, May 26, 2008

Go With The Flow

Bring On The Tap Dancers

Photographs copyright: DAVID McMAHON


Any idea what I've photographed here? Does it look like the family silverware needs a bit of spit and polish? Does it look like a mis-shapen Bunsen burner, perhaps? Does it look familiar in any way? Can't quite place it? Not quite sure?

Okay, here's a clue. You've all used one of these at some stage in your life.

The first shot was taken with an 18-125mm lens. I shot this at F8 and 1/60th of a second. I framed it really carefully because I wanted to preserve the orange tones in the background, as well as the glistening silver-like effect all round the periphery.

Then I tried another frame, shooting from exactly the same spot. This time I reversed the focus to give you a different perspective on the scene. Now the object that was in sharp focus in the first shot is simply a translucent blur because of the altered depth of field.

And now you can see quite clearly that I've photographed a row of drinking taps in a school.

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

22 comments:

Gone Back South said...

All that stainless steel and brick in the background makes the scene look very institutionalised. I can picture the scruffy kids scrambling on hot days to get some cold water.

Anonymous said...

Our drinking fountains don't look like that here in the states. I would have never figured it out, even with th final photo!

Sandpiper (Lin) said...

I never would have gotten this. Great "what is it" picture!

Whistle Britches said...

Nice work Davey Mac!

dot said...

It definitely doesn't look like anything I've seen before so it's a great odd shot.

Sandi McBride said...

My goodness...looks nothing like the school water taps here...those look as though if you drank from them you'd have a fairly good chance of not catching some rare disabling disease just by putting your mouth near the outlet! Very odd indeed!
Sandi

Katney said...

I had to read five comments before I figured out what it was.

Yes, David, I took 228 shots. I discarded 12 as way too shakey to consider and moved one that should have been in another file so that leaves 215 in the folder. (Two of them are video I took for the sound and can't playback. I have to investigate that and probably download something.)

When people asked us how long it would take to hike that trail, it was rather difficult to give a sensible estimate. I said "we are slow hikers." He said "She stopped every two steps to take a picture."

He's a very good sport about it.

fuzzbert_1999@yahoo.com said...

Nice shot of all the germs and crap around the outlet too!

Lavinia said...

Ah yes, I see you have a 'thirst' for odd angles. You don't 'run hot or cold' on the matter, you just 'dive right in'.

San said...

Love Lavinia's comment.

Okay, yup, they do look different here in the USofA, so I would've been stumped had you not identified your subject.

And speaking of Odd Shots, this evening Bennie and I were driving home from the gallery and got behind a truck loaded with detour signs with arrows pointing everywhichway. Atop all of those signs was a giant electric sign with an arrow pointing in opposite directions. "That looks just like something David McMahon would photograph," I said. No, I didn't have my camera. Katney of course would have, as would you.

Merisi said...

Never would I have guessed! :-)

ArneA said...

Never thought it was drinking tap.
I was more on a boat searching for oars
You should have waited with the result of the quest until we asked for it
:-)

Unknown said...

Great altered DOF shots and nice description, David!

Happy monday!

My odd shot is up.

Dragonstar said...

Excellent shots (well, actually that goes without saying!) but I still don't recognise the item. I've not seen taps that look like that.

Woman in a Window said...

give me just an ounce of what you know about photography...just an ounce!

And I think I'll have my drink from home!

www.retiredandcrazy.com said...

Well I never!

Bruno LoGreco said...

I would never have guessed. Our fountains look different in Canada. Excellent, excellent shot. :)

Happy Monday!

Tess Kincaid said...

American drinking fountains don't look at all like those! Interesting. Love the color of steel against the red of the bricks in the background.

Paulie said...

Good one! I was wondering about the "orange" in the first shot and now see it is the red bricks of the school. I would never have guessed water fountains either -- never saw that kind.

aims said...

Sorry! Our drinking taps don't look anything like that either. Not here in Canada anyway.

Cath said...

Now I am not sure why I didn't comment last time I visited - must be all that sun going to my head! lol
I love tis shot for it's perspective. I would never have guessed a drinking fountain from that angle - although I haven't seen drinking fountains or taps like that before. Maybe I live a sheltered life.

I like the stainless steel against the brick - I thought "school washrooms" or similar, but not drinking fountains. Definitely odd.
(Mine is up too).

Diane said...

What a shot! I would never have guessed. And I have never seen a row of drinking fountains like these!