Thursday, January 08, 2009

Glass Vegas

That’s A Real Pint-Sized Subject

Photograph copyright: DAVID McMAHON


If you’re wondering why I haven’t been visiting and commenting on your blogs recently, there’s a simple reason. I haven’t been home. I’ve literally been on the other side of the country for a family wedding.

We boarded a Qantas Boeing 767 for the four-hour flight to sunny Perth, capital city of Western Australia. It’s not quite as far as the flight from Toronto to Vancouver, but I’ll just point out that Perth’s time zone is closer to Singapore than it is to my home city of Melbourne.

This shot was taken in Fremantle on the day of the wedding, literally between the ceremony and the reception. Family and friends alike decided to kill half an hour at a boutique brewery called Little Creatures. I was at the bar when a worker put a metal tray of glasses on the counter.

Immediately I put my drink down and picked up my camera instead. Sometimes the most ordinary sights can produce the most unusually rewarding images.

A couple of drinkers looked askance as I lined up this shot. I guess they just saw empty glasses. Instead, I saw swirls of light, gentle contours of silver-blue, soft colours and several tiny golden sparkles of reflected light.

It’s always a privilege for a non-legal member of the family to be called to the bar.

25 comments:

Saz said...

the pc police again...

Well they consider the lovely village of Cockermouth in Cumbria..for their new policy?
what about Penistone in Yorkshire and Brown Willy in Cornwall?


there is a joke there but l'm not brave enough!

and I daren't write what the verificat ion word is thats just bizarre!!

Katney said...

I could tell you were away. The rythm was just different somehow.

Daryl said...

Hope the vacation is lovely .. I had quite a start when I clicked over here and got a 'blog is gone' error message ...

Louise said...

People looked askance at you? They clearly don't know you as well as your readers do. Great shot!

spacedlaw said...

Never mind the glances (they glance off). Love the light.

Kaye Waller said...

You have magical vision, David. That's all there is to it. Thanks for sharing it with us.

Hccm said...

You have a great eye David.

Hilary said...

Bottoms up! I did figure you were away on some wonderful adventure. No "Post of the Day" and your friendly face was missing in action. Glad to see you're up and running again.

Lee said...

Great shot! I focused in on the upended glass bottoms and how it flows down the sides. It almost makes you think the glasses are leaning to the right from about midway up.

Cheers!

Jules~ said...

A wedding!...how fun!
I like the picture of the glasses. And secretly I think it is fun to do things that make people give you that questioning look sometimes.
Those glass bottoms remind me greatly of some little coca-cola juice glasses that we have here at the house. The hold barely 3 oz maybe but gosh they are cute.

Bee said...

I haven't been to a good wedding in ages! Lovely translucent blue of glass . . .

(I bet you were pleased to skip the three years of law school -- when you were "called to the Bar.")

Jinksy said...

As befits my view from t'other side of the planet, these, on first view looked very much like the wide necked milk bottle that were around in the 1940's, with their little cardboaard lids. As the image appeared on screen, my initial thought was 'Oh,pint bottles with metal lids?! Once I stood on my head, of courseI could see they were glasses...

Lew said...

What would the picture be if you had emptied several of the glasses before reaching for the camera? You do get some great shots of ordinary everyday subjects!

Celebration of Life said...

I do enjoy looking through the eye of your lense, David. I am looking forward to the day that my camera captures such beautiful shots!

cheshire wife said...

So I note from your comment about pints that Australia still has the Imperial system. Enjoy your holiday.

Woman in a Window said...

Aw! The photo's not coming up. I trust the light is there, the blue glass calling to you.

Have fun!

Sue said...

thanks..i shall enjoy your photos and your writing...wish i could have gotten a pic late hr of the hummer...

katherine. said...

there are always great opportunities in a bar...

Maggie May said...

Australia is so diverse, isn't it? Hope you had a good time.
I expect everyone was wondering just what was so interesting about those glasses. Was there something in there that they hadn't noticed?
Glad you did the shot because, as you said there were lots of lovely reflections and colours for us all to see.

San said...

There's that painter's eye again, David.

After I spend a day painting, I find my vision is charged with the awareness of such shadows and swirls.

The Quintessential Magpie said...

David, I enjoy the fact that you can see what others cannot. That's a very special gift. It's a blessing to other people as well as to yourself. Thanks for sharing...

Sheila

Corey~living and loving said...

HOpe you are well! Love this shot.

gogouci said...

Gee, I find myself suddenly very thirsty.

Cath said...

You always find the most ordinary shots and make them art.
It would be a real treat to see some of your perspective on the wedding.
Any chance?

Merisi said...

Well, it looks as if you passed your bar exams with flying colours! :-)