Verse And Worse

Random Wit, Errant Rhyme. Not A Literary Crime

He caught the ferry
To Pondicherry
And found inner peace
On a two-year lease

Thank You For Giving Me A Heads-Up

A Ferry-Tale Ending

Photograph copyright: DAVID McMAHON

Sometimes you get thrown a curve ball and it turns out to be an unexpected bonus, rather than a hindrance. During our trip to Sydney a few days ago, I was with the Authorbloglets and close friends on the ferry from Milsons Point to Circular Quay.

It was dusk. The light was fading fast on a cloudy evening. I had my camera around my neck, but the ferry was very crowded with locals and Easter tourists and we had to take separate, far-flung seats under cover. I was in the middle of the main deck, with three or four people on my left.

In addition, there were others standing outside to get a better view of the Harbour Bridge and the Opera House.

Just before the ferry docked, I could see the distinctive shape of the Opera House through the rectangular ferry porthole. Half-heartedly, I removed my lens cap and picked up my Pentax. Always on the lookout for an unusual perspective on a familiar sight, I realised I could shoot one aspect of the Opera House through the window frame of the ferry.

I lined up the shot, knowing the Opera House would slide out of view in about fifteen seconds. As I adjusted the focus ring, a woman sitting a couple of seats away suddenly leaned forward to speak to a friend.

With her head in the bottom-left quadrant of my frame, she obscured almost a quarter of my view. I hesitated for a split second. Then I hit the shutter anyway. Had I waited for her to move back out of the way, it would have still been an interesting rendition of the great Australian landmark through the thick glass of the porthole.

But by recognising the fact that this was a great opportunity, I was able to capture a frame that is not perfect, but one that certainly is a highly unusual view of a familiar and often-photographed symbol of the country I live in.

Visit MamaGeek and Cecily, creators of Photo Story Friday.

Riveting Stuff

Cross That Bridge When You Come To It

Photographs copyright: DAVID McMAHON

Here's another one of the experiments I enjoy. Take one frame with the immediate foreground in sharp focus; then take the next frame with the background in sharp focus. I took this while standing on the Sandridge Bridge, looking east across the Yarra, towards the arch of the footbridge. I was going to photograph the approaching tourist ferry when I noticed the unusual rounded shape of the grey-painted rivets. For the second shot, I reversed the focus, with the rivets in soft focus (and almost unobtrusive) and the ferry in sharp focus.

Light Entertainment

Time To Do Some Shadow Boxing

Photograph copyright: DAVID McMAHON

We were walking around Sorrento, on the Mornington Peninsula, when I looked up and noticed the striking shadow of the solitary light above the Continental Hotel cafe. This was shot on a little Pentax Optio, a few minutes after we had stepped off the ferry from Queenscliff. It was mid-morning and I was captivated by the simple, old-fashioned lampshade, the whitewashed timber exterior, the brick wall to the left and of course the clear blue sky, so typical of a hot Australian summer day. The light in this country has a very powerful quality, which sort of explains why I always carry a camera. Regular readers of this blog would recall that I never modify or enhance my images in any way. What you see here is what I shoot. And when you live in a county where the colours are so rich in contrast, why would you need to, anyway?