Beach Buoys

This Is The Doorway To Surf Heaven

Photographs copyright: DAVID McMAHON

Last month while we were at Bondi beach in Sydney, I took several shots of the world-famous crescent of sand and surf when I decided to try and find a shot that was, well, different. I wanted an image that captured not just the timelessness of Bondi, but also something that anchored the scene sufficiently.

Time was tight, but I wanted to shoot the beach from inside a building.

The street was maybe a two or three minute walk away, and I could easily have taken a shot from there, looking towards the water, using my 300mm lens. Instead, on a whim, I walked over to the Bondi Pavilion, which houses the change rooms, ice cream parlour and snack bars.

Beside the lockers, I found exactly what I was looking for – an old-style doorway. Not only was I able to get the shot with my 18-125mm lens, I also had the added bonus of the glass arch above the actual door. The segmented view through the colonial-era archway adds just that little bit extra to the image.

So what we have here is a twenty-first century tourist attraction, seen through the craftsmanship of the nineteenth century. Yep, that’s a handy result.

Just one last observation. Have a look at the shot below, of the Pavilion. I didn't just shoot this because of the combination of parallel lines, horizontal references, lattice-like effect on the panes of glass and the contrast of the multiple arches. There was another reason, as I'll explain .....

Do you notice the interesting similarity between the angle of the sandwich board and the angle of the legs of the person in the light shirt? Okay, so it's not perfect, but I had to take the shot before he moved.


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