The Wild Blue Wander

There’s Always Time For Clarity

Photograph copyright: DAVID McMAHON

About a month ago, I’d planned to take a lunch break and to walk out into the city with my camera. But the weather closed in, not surprisingly, because we’re still in winter here.

The rain stopped just after two o’clock and so I ventured out, ready to seek shelter if the weather deteriorated. I only spent about half an hour in the city and was on my way back to work. I had replaced the lens cap on my camera, but I was still looking around for any unusual shots.

Because it was very windy, a tiny patch of sky began to clear as I walked down Elizabeth Street. A couple of minutes later, by the time I got to the pedestrian crossing at Flinders Street, I could barely believe what I could see. The little patch of clear, unsullied blue was almost summery in its intensity – and it sat regally above the central clock tower of Flinders Street Station.

While I waited to cross the street, I knew I had to take the shot. Off came the lens cap and I fired the shutter exactly where I stood, using the zoom to compose an unusual view to include the silhouetted outline of the traffic lights to the left of the frame.

A couple of minutes later, I was back at my desk at work and showed this shot to a colleague of mine, a graphic designer who is also a keen photographer.

"Nice shot," he nodded. "When did you take it?"

"Coupla minutes ago," I explained, as he shook his head in disbelief.

You see, the huge window near our desks gave us a splendid view of the Melbourne skyline, completely shrouded in grey, threatening cloud cover.

I guess it’s a bit redolent of life experience. It doesn’t matter how many problems loom on the horizon, we just need one solitary, brief flash of clarity or inspiration to see our way forward.

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