Thursday, March 05, 2009

He's A Real Live Wire

Truly A Volt From The Blue

Photograph copyright: DAVID McMAHON


This was just an off-the-cuff shot, taken in Dawson City in the Yukon five months ago. I had just arrived in the historic old town, where every street corner tells a story, and I had an hour to kill before dinner.

I guess I could have put my feet up in my hotel room, after travelling a few hundred kilometres – but the great quest for any photographer is to try and capture as many images as possible.

So I dropped my bags off, grabbed my cameras and – with one eye on the time – walked briskly as far as I could. I was actually on my way back to the hotel when I shot this image on a whim. Remember – this was long before I decided to make it a point to shoot door scenes.

So what caught my attention here? I guess it was the beautiful blue. To some critics, this could be "just" an ordinary scene, but to me (and to some of you, I’m sure) it’s an interesting image that goes beyond the mundane, especially because the red-and-white "Danger: High Voltage" sign is a subtle counterpoint to the striking blue that dominates the scene.

I guess you could say the atmosphere was electric.

For earlier posts in this series, check out The Doors Archive.

18 comments:

Mojo said...

We might have been separated at birth David. Given a choice in the matter, the first thing out of its bag when I hit a hotel room is my camera and it's rarely more than arm's reach away for the duration (a point of consternation for many at various conferences I've attended I'm sure).

Quite often I can't even identify what it is about a scene that compels my trigger finger, but I'm rarely sorry I took the shot.

My Doors offering this week isn't one of those though. It was a deliberate effort -- two deliberate efforts in fact. Because sometimes I just can't choose.
The Doors #3: "Sacred Heart"

Woman in a Window said...

David, that's my favorite blue. I saw a cabinet that colour a decade ago, an antique piece in a small rural town's shop and fell in love. I couldn't help but touch it. I would have lived in that cabinet if I could have. Such a good solid colour. (Unfortunately the cabinet was too expensive.)

Richard Lawry said...

I once painted a car a color that was called Electric Blue. It seems you have located Electric Blue.

An Arkies Musings

Maggie May said...

You have really taken two sets of doors there David, as the wire mesh in front of the blue doors open up into doors too.
I love that colour of blue too. Your posts are extremely colourful and I do love the things you choose to snap.

Jinksy said...

Blue does it for me, anytime, anywhere - But I'm certainly not blue today - have just got a parcel all the way from Delhi, full of Vegemite Vindaloo. In book form.

Jazz said...

Whoa! that's beyond blue!!!

JEM said...

I look at doors a lot differently now because of you. Thanks

Anonymous said...

What a heavenly colour blue is...it should be prescribed instead of anti-depressents. I too take my camera [singular] whenever I go out...thanks to you.

ArtistUnplugged said...

That is a shocking photo David! Hey, I saw the cellphone in the cod story on tv, amazing.

Salute said...

Blue is my favorite color. My bother-in-law's jaguar is this color blue. And what we calls a midnight blue. I think this color blue w/the red and white is awesome together.

Robynn's Ravings said...

Love the lighting in the blue industrial doors photo (and of COURSE the color).

BUT

What really gave me a kick this morning is that when I saw your post on my sidebar I read, "He's a real live wife." Apparently, I haven't had my espresso yet.

Casdok said...

Really is a beautiful blue.

cheshire wife said...

My first car was that shade of blue. I do not remember what it was called now but I do not think that it was electric blue.

Mrs Mac said...

Ooo I do like that blue!

btw David, I finally did an interview:

http://bloginterviewer.com/photography/creating-a-likeness-helena-sullivan

:)

Unknown said...

It's called electric blue and very cool color indeed!

Louise said...

The way you have framed this really DOES "electrify" the blue. I love it. But I wonder if my eye would have caught it just walking by. I would like to think so, but I am not sure it would have.

M said...

I love your photographs...when I take pictures like that no one seems to understand why I take them. I love colors...bright colors are happy colors and reflect how we feel.

There is a stretch of road I ride when biking to work- it's up hill so I am going rather slowly and I can count 15 tannish/beige/brownish/boring colored houses IN A ROW! Tan is so blah and colorless and I wonder if the people who live there are the same. I love the old colorful Victorians in San Francisco!

I am going to take more fun pictures and when people ask why I will have them check out your blog.

Happy Colorful Thrusday!

Susan English Mason said...

I related personally to so many points you made in this post. I take photos of unusual things all of the time but I have a lot of work to do to capture them as perfectly as you do. It's a joy trying.