Saturday, April 11, 2009

Not The Bermuda Triangle

There's Always An Angle If You Look Closely

Photographs copyright: DAVID McMAHON


This shot was taken about six months ago, long before I even knew what this week's theme would be. I was killing about 90 minutes in Whitehorse, capital of the Yukon, before catching a flight to Vancouver and beginning the long haul home on Air Canada.

It was a beautiful autumn evening and even though there was heavy, unseasonal snow on the mountains around, it was warm in the sun. I was just in a T-shirt and jeans as I walked briskly around the city, trying to identify and shoot every arresting sight possible.

I was actually going the other way at an intersection when I looked to my right and saw the brightly painted exterior woodwork on the Town And Mountain Hotel. I had two Pentax cameras, both DSLRs, around my neck, one with my 18-125mm lens and the other with my 70-300mm lens.


But what I really wanted was to get halfway across the pedestrian crossing to frame this shot. All the way across on the other side and I wouldn't be able to frame it this way. So I waited for the lights to change, crossed halfway and dropped anchor.

To the puzzled driver in the SUV who watched me draw a bead on the shot and hit the trigger, I hope my grin and my explanation that I'm from the Land Down Under was sufficient.

But this week, as I located this shot for this specific post, I was puzzled about an important detail. Why on earth would I have wanted to get halfway across the street to shoot this when I had a long lens on one camera? I could easily have composed the shot from where I stood on the other side.


In less than sixty seconds, I had my answer. Friends and family often ask me how on earth I can remember the smallest, seemingly inconsequential details about a photograph taken months earlier. In this case, I had the evening sun right in my eyes from the other side of the street.

Yes, I could have framed the same shot from the other side, but the strong light would have washed out the colours in the shot I really wanted to capture. By venturing and stopping midway down the pedestrian crossing, I was able to shoot straight up as the sun was totally obscured by the building.

Here's the ultimate test. Can I remember which T-shirt I was wearing? Probably not.


Visit TNChick's Photo Hunt. Today's theme: "Triangle''.

23 comments:

Louise said...

I would have remembered which t-shirt.

And these are terrific. I certainly wouldn't have placed it in Yukon from the first photo!

Arija said...

David I love the colours in the first and the lines and angles in the third. What t-shirt did you wear?

Daryl said...

I knew it was another slant on your Yukon pix ...

Daryl said...

If I had one of those magic computer programs they use on TV where you can enlarge perfectly any portion of any photo no matter how grainy to see minute details I could see what tee shirt you have on in the reflection of you in the doorway

Lori ann said...

Well, that's because your a guy :)(kidding!) I would only remember my tshirt because when I travel its with very little.

I am like you and usually remember the smallest details about the photos I take.

Nice pics!

Anonymous said...

I'm getting to like your explanations more and more, even the technical details are sinking in.

Sylvia K said...

I can't remember what I wore yesterday, let alone a year ago! Fabulous shots! Love the colors! What an interesting looking hotel! And angles are terrific! Have a great weekend!

www.retiredandcrazy.com said...

Oh to have the gift of looking through the world with your eyes David. Amazing.

Saz said...

LOL...I was convinced this was some marzipan or icing on the cake? how wrong was I..looks like a gingerbread house...but then i always think food!

Cheffie-Mom said...

I see beautiful pink fish gills!

cheshire wife said...

Thank goodness you had the sense to use the pedestrian crossing rather than just standing in the middle of the road.

Rosaria Williams said...

Bright colors, and beautiful contrasting angles. T-shirt? It must have been chilly for you?

Russ said...

I love the closeup of the first one. Great line, shapes and colors.

Anonymous said...

That first photo is very candy-like.

Cheltenhamdailyphoto said...

I so envy you your two Pentax DSLRs! Great shots.

Elizabeth Bradley said...

At first glance I thought I was looking at one of those crazy wedding cakes that they profile on TV these days, then I saw the wood texture and realized that it was a building. Great fun shots. My parents lived in the Yukon before I was born. I must go back up there, the last time I was that far up north was in the sixties.

Sniffles and Smiles said...

Very like Easter candy! A fun photo post this weekend in particular!

Eddie Bluelights said...

Looks as though you've been out on the tiles again, David.
Super photos

Sarah Lulu said...

G'day ..love the photos and the colours are beautiful.

Cath said...

Is that you in the reflection? ;0)

Fascinating how your theme develops along with the photo.

Mojo said...

Who needs a photographic memory when you've got a photograph? strangely I remember small details about the shots I take, but often forget the big details. I have a whole collection of shots very similar to this from a trip to Washington, DC in 1998. I can remember the t-shirt I was wearing (my red Carolina Hurricanes tee with the embroidered logo), but I can't identify the buildings in the photos.

And anyway, what's risking getting run down by an SUV when compared to getting this shot? I mean really.

Corey~living and loving said...

Great shots for the theme, David. :) love the colors, too!

mrsnesbitt said...

So observant David and it was all worth it!