O Is For Oddity

It Figures, Doesn’t It?

Photographs copyright: DAVID McMAHON

When you have a camera in your hand, don’t you always feel compelled to look everywhere, to all points of the compass, just to ensure you don’t miss anything that might make an unusual photograph?

This was taken on a hot, humid December afternoon in Singapore. I only spent a day and a half there and I had an eastbound flight to catch very soon. But I simply had to cover as many miles on foot as possible, just to ensure that I hadn’t missed anything in a city that has captivated me since I was in primary school.

With the clock ticking down, I was on my way to the famous Raffles Hotel and took a short cut, hurrying (legally) across the stepping stones of a fairly large water feature in parkland. A long way to my left, I saw what seemed to be people in fancy dress, sitting on a bench.

No, I didn’t have any time to spare. I wasn't going to miss my flight, no matter what happened. But when you’re in a situation like this, you simply have to investigate it, don’t you? You can’t just pretend you didn’t see it. You can’t just walk away, a slave to time that ticks inexorably away, and always wonder what it was that you were never able to determine.

So I checked it out. I jogged a little closer until I realised that the figures were actually an art installation in the grounds of the Singapore Art Museum, housed in a sprawling colonial-era building. Luckily I had my 18-125mm lens on the camera, so I was able to shoot the scene from across the wide thoroughfare.

The interesting aspect, in my mind, was that all five heads were at different angles, as if emphasising that there are many ways to look at any situation. Just before I walked on, I composed a slightly different shot because I wanted to include the old-fashioned street light and the blue-and-white sign.

And as soon as I had the shot composed, I realised there was another neat (but unintended) facet to the shot. Look carefully and you'll see there are five of the high colonial archways, so common in tropical climates, in the shot. In other words, one archway for each of the figures.

It’s not every day you get a chance to shoot a figure of speech. Or five figures of speech.


For the home of ABC Wednesday, go to Mrs Nesbitt's Place.

W Is For Wreath

We Wish You A Merry Christmas

Photographs copyright: DAVID McMAHON

I’ve never seen wreaths as elaborate as these, photographed at the famous Raffles Hotel in Singapore exactly a year ago. I had an eastbound flight to catch but I was determined to cover as much ground as possible – on foot – around the city before picking up my bags and heading to the airport.

I had already made up my mind that I would call a halt when I reached Raffles, one of the most historic buildings in the former British colony. Time was really ticking away and I didn’t realise how heavy the pre-Christmas traffic would be and that I would lose precious minutes on my way to the airport.


But I found the time to shoot these wreaths in a courtyard at the hotel. The stained glass in the shot above had me fascinated, for it threw an interesting range of colours into the mix as well.

It was early afternoon and there was the feeling of so much history on these flagstones as I tried to get as many photographs as possible. I knew that time was ticking away, but I tried not to think about it.

Eventually I made my way round to the hotel’s main entrance, where I made another pit stop to take photographs. Eventually, I knew I had run out of time and hailed a cab. But just as I was about to get in and tell the driver where to take me, I spotted this huge Christmas ribbon on a light pole. If you want to figure out how large it is, take a look at the huge palm fronds to the left – and that’ll give you a fair idea of its dimensions.

Yes, I caught my flight. But a good friend of mine, who knows how punctual I am, couldn’t believe her eyes when I arrived a few minutes late to meet her at the Singapore Airlines check-in desk.


For the home of ABC Wednesday, go to Mrs Nesbitt's Place.

The Great Big Raffle

I'm Dreaming Of A Red Christmas

Photographs copyright: DAVID McMAHON

The Raffles Hotel in Singapore is the ultimate reference point in a) luxury and b) colonial history. This shot (above) was taken from the front of the hotel and perhaps gives you an idea of the huge scale of the decorations. The hotel, by the way, is named after Sir Stamford Raffles.

The second shot (above) was also taken from the sweeping semi-circular driveway and gives you some idea of the size of the bow. The arched windows are about fifteen to eighteen feet tall (between five and six metres) from the topmost point of the arch to the bottom of the window. When you think about it, the weight of those decorations would be considerable. I guess they would need specialists to put them up, with considerable skill and great dexterity.

This last shot (above) was taken in the famous courtyard of the Raffles Hotel. Along with the graceful arched wreaths, you can also see the landmark "RH" in stained glass in the front of this food pagoda as well as in the background of the picture.