Tuesday, March 17, 2009

Keep It Under Your Hat

We Told You To Go To Ireland, Not Fireland

Photographs copyright: DAVID McMAHON


Street performers are fairly common in the Southbank area of Melbourne and as you would expect, they are a dime a dozen during the warm summer months, when the sun rises early and doesn’t set until about nine o’clock.

Of course, it’s autumn now. And while the temperatures have scaled back slightly, even the nights are noticeably cooler but the evenings are still long and balmy. As you’d imagine, it all adds up to perfect weather for street entertainers.

I shot these images recently, while a couple of very gifted performers kept a holiday crowd in raptures. The two shots are very deliberately composed, because the first looks like a real helmet perched atop a piece of equipment.

It’s only when you get to the second image (below) that you see the dead giveaway that it’s not real - see the huge purple water gun on the left of the frame?

Now you can see, too, that it’s a plastic helmet. And everything is secured, by an extendable strap, to a suitcase-on-wheels. When the act is over, the "fire chief" packs up his gear and wheels the whole lot onto his next venue.


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39 comments:

Nessa said...

Your colors are always so vibrant.

I have a wheeled case that I use everyday because I can't live without all of my books and notebooks and camera and iPod...

Maggie May said...

It is the colour as much as the subject matter that makes your work stand out.
Like Nessa, I find them so vibrant!

Sandi McBride said...

I have Arianna's Red Fireman's Helmet that she won at a dime pitch...now I know what to get her to go with it...a water canon!
Sandi

Sandi McBride said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
ArtistUnplugged said...

Another neat photo. Thanks for sharing it David.

Anonymous said...

Blue makes me smile but red, for some strange reason makes me laugh. I love the way the red claches so beautifully with the colours of the water gun on the side.

Cath said...

Very clever editing / framing. I wouldn't have thought it was "just pretend" unless you had told me.

Rosaria Williams said...

David, you are an excellent teacher, and a curious traveler. I get all the tricks you teach us; I'm not sure I could actually produce the same results; but, I get the instructions.

As a curious traveler, you feed the wonderlust in all of us. Thank you, thank you.

I would appreciate some critical points on my blog, both for content and style, when you can drop by and point out some quick remedies.

Anonymous said...

I like how colorful these shots are. Street performers can be fun to watch.

Louise said...

I love how colorful this is.

Janie said...

Ha! The hat does look real at first, but you'd certainly hope your fireman would have more than that purple water gun!
Beautifully colorful and eyecatching photos.

Sylvia K said...

Your PICTURES are always vibrant as are the colors! and your posts are always a delight to read. Love you humor! Thanks for sharing!

Jinksy said...

I think it's R2D2 in drag...

Cheffie-Mom said...

I love how colorful these photos are. Great job!

Indrani said...

The purple water gun reminded me of Holi we played recently. :)
Great take on MWT.

PRH said...

Your weather is cooling down, which is good, ours is slowing warming up, which is great!

Elizabeth Bradley said...

I almost wish you wouldn't have pointed out that it wasn't a real hat. I love the composition of this shot, the playfulness, and of course the colors.

antigoni said...

I like the colours. Funny post!

SandyCarlson said...

That's some equipment there, David. The propert of some career-minded child, perhaps?

George said...

Thanks for the lesson behind these two great pictures. I love the color of the helmet.

Carol Murdock said...

As always, brilliant David!
Also proof positive that:
"things are not always what they seem"
Carol

George said...

You left out Bastille Day (14th). But I guess July is busy enough without that. It sounds like you'll have a fun month!

Jack and Joann said...

My laddie boy, you have been pulling our Irish legs today. Happy St. Patrick's Day on Tuesday.

Guy D said...

Great post as always david.

Have a great week!
Guy
Regina In Pictures

Unknown said...

How funny!OLove a funny title to a post!And love the colors.

This Is My Blog - fishing guy said...

David: How neat to share the times of entertainment in Australia.

Jane Hards Photography said...

Red is one of my colours along with purple. I don't so pastel. Neat tie in witht the title

myonlyphoto said...

David, I love the vibrant red fire colors. So you have fall now. Us we will be getting spring soon, at least I hope so. Excellent images again, Anna :)

myonlyphoto said...

David, I love the vibrant red fire colors. So you have fall now. Us we will be getting spring soon, at least I hope so. Excellent images again, Anna :)

Carolyn said...

Great set up and great shots. Thanks for sharing.
Smiles

Honey Mommy said...

That is brilliant! At first glance I did think that the hat was real on top of an equipment locker.

A Brit in Tennessee said...

Fabulous photos, the colours just POP....

Anonymous said...

Hot shot!
The kit of a fireman wanna be!

Anonymous said...

The hat looks real and of course, when you see the water gun..it gets you thinking that they're not real:D

Annie said...

very clever, David!

soulbrush said...

what a bright happy colour. happy st pats day.

Anonymous said...

Lovely colours! I haven't seen a fire in my corner of the world for a long time- maybe because the "firemen" community has been so very busy lately, huh?
Warm greetings from West Africa!
Esther

Mariz said...

very amusing post and the photos are very nice, red is my fave so i love how that color stood out in those photos. very cool!

Mix Pix
Reflections by Mariz

The Good Life in Virginia said...

good post...made me laugh.
thanks for sharing with us.