Richard Gear

Who Killed Cog Robin?

Photographs copyright: DAVID McMAHON

Sometimes it pays to turn your camera onto unusual objects. There's a good shot everywhere, just waiting to be taken. This bike was standing in strong sunlight and I could see that the chain hadn't been oiled or greased in a while and that it was starting to rust.

I used the SMC Pentax-DA macro lens for this - and I have to say, not even in the days when I used to replace my own bike chain when it slipped off the sprocket and left me freewheeling, have I had my nose so close to a cogwheel.

I guess I'm just like any other guy. We all think we might have looked pretty cool in Grease.

Visit TNChick, creator of Photo Hunt. Today's theme: "Squeaky".

String Quartet

Thank Goodness I Don't Have Tennis Elbow

Photographs copyright: DAVID McMAHON

This sequence was shot some weeks ago, using the wonderful SMC Pentax-DA 1:2.8mm macro lens. I thought these would be perfect for this week's "string" theme, especially since I used to cover Wimbledon as a tennis writer.

You know the strings that criss-cross your tennis racquet? There was a story that Bjorn Borg's Donnay racquets used to be strung to such high tension that it was not uncommon for them to snap in the middle of the night, even before he had struck a ball with them.

Every grand slam tournament has its own racquet stringers and I once read an interview with a man who did the job at the Australian Open. He mentioned that players' representatives simply used to drop the racquets off to him, but occasionally one or two of the stars would drop by to thank him for a job well done.

The racquet in these shots is just a standard Wilson - and I took the shots in our front yard, not in a studio. I simply wanted to test the lens in normal conditions. That's why I started out by shooting the tiny knot that shows the end point of the racquet-stringing technique.

I thought the lens was really good, because it even showed up specks of dust on the racquet frame, so then I started shooting the mid-section of the stringed surface.

That's when I noticed something that I hadn't spotted with the naked eye. The magnificent lens was actually picking up minuscule pieces of fluff from the yellow Slazenger balls that I use.

Look carefully and you'll even see the light-and-dark pattern of the synthetic material that is used to string these racquets. And when I sat down to write this post, I recalled an interesting piece of tennis trivia. You see, yellow balls were introduced to make it easier for television viewers to follow the path of a ball on their screen.

So here's a trivia question, specially for you. Do you know when Wimbledon finally switched from white tennis balls to yellow tennis balls? Scroll to the bottom of this post for the answer.

(Trivia answer: Wimbledon introduced yellow tennis balls in 1986.)

Visit TNChick, the creator of Photo Hunt.

We’re Talking Big Money Here

To Coin A Phase

Photographs copyright: DAVID McMAHON

Using a macro lens is always a great experience, because it opens up a whole new viewpoint. I have to say, the lens that is on my camera for ninety per cent of the time is the multi-purpose 18-125mm Sigma lens, but I enjoy using my 70-300mm lens. These photos were shot with the SMC Pentax-DA 1:2.8mm macro.

It looks as if I’ve shot these images in a carnival, where they have large-scale models of everyday objects. But that’s not the case. These might look as if they’re the same size as pizzas, but they’re standard Australian fifty-cent coins.

As you can see, they have 12 sides, which makes them dodecagonal and are the only Aussie coins that are not round.

Back in 1966, round fifty-cent coins were issued briefly and they are now collectors’ items. They do surface sometimes and I know of at least one recent case where a friend of mine thought a very rare fifty-cent coin was actually a contemporary twenty-cent coin instead.

To misquote the Lone Ranger, hi, ho, silver.

Unidentified Filmed Object

Can You Guess What This Is?

Photographs copyright: DAVID McMAHON

Take a close look at this shot and tell me if you can figure out what I’ve photographed. Is it a pitted clay pathway with straw piled beside it? Is it a narrow Outback track being choked by some vivid, noxious weed?


Let me give you a different viewpoint. This is the same object, photographed from a slightly different angle. Here’s another clue. I was using the SMC Pentax-DA macro lens when I shot this series of images.

Okay, now that you’ve identified the object, here’s the definitive view of it (below). I was holding a yellow Slazenger tennis ball in my left hand and holding my camera in my right hand. To get a different perspective and a fresh angle on each shot, I just kept rotating the ball.

Fish-Eye Lend

A Project That Really Struck A Chord

Photographs copyright: DAVID McMAHON

There's always an appropriate time in one's life for reflection - but sometimes you have to recognise the fact that it's not the appropriate opportunity. No, I'm not referring to metaphorical reflection, I'm referring to literal reflection! Me, I always have time for reflection of the soul, but in this case I'm talking about reflection in the objects that you photograph.

I'm always drawn to an image that comprises an unusual reflection, as most of you know. But a couple of weekends ago, I wanted to photograph this guitar in bright sunlight, to try and get the little chrome dials and knobs to throw a reflection on the rich burgundy surface of the guitar's body. I used the splendid SMC Pentax-DA 1:2.8mm lens for this experiment.

So I took the first shot (above) with one of the five tiny knobs slap-bang in the middle of the frame. Yeah, all good. Happy with the result. On the LCD screen, it looked like a fairly decent shot. I could see the tiny indentations on the knob clearly, and I could see the reflection as well.

Then I spotted something else. When I started the experiment, I hadn't realised that the concave top of the knob would act as a perfect fisheye lens. Have a close look and you'll see what I mean. The top of the knob is a faithful reflection of the sky as well as my surroundings, producing a full 360-degree view across its entire circumference.

That's when I decided to shoot one more frame, to try and get a clearer shot of the sky. This time I shifted slightly, so if you compare the two frames, you'll see that the second one (below) is off-centre but produces a much stronger image. Both shots are taken at F6.7 and with an ISO speed of 200, but the second one is clearly superior in every respect.

Symmetry is good in all aspects of life, but I always advise photographers to look for an asymmetrical view as well. You never know which result will turn out better - and let me tell you that looking at any situation from more than one viewpoint works pretty well in approaching real life as well.

Photography is a lot like life. We learn something every day. And like life itself, it's our duty to pass on the knowledge that we are fortunate to glean. Let me know if you agree.

(The Odd Shots concept came from Katney. Say "G'day" to her.)

This Contest Rocks

Maybe It Was Picasso's Brew Period

Photograph copyright: DAVID McMAHON

Let's see how observant you are. Can you guess what I've photographed here? A pile of gravel for roadworks? Crushed rocks, perhaps? A bowl of cereal? Keep looking .... and do leave me a comment saying what you think this is.


Okay, here's your answer. It's a macro shot of a spoonful of coffee, Nescafe Blend 43. I shot this outdoors, using the superb SMC Pentax-DA 1:2.8mm macro lens.

(The Odd Shots concept came from Katney. Say "G'day" to her.)

Grass Roots Movement

It Ain't Easy Bein' Green In A Drought

Photograph copyright: DAVID McMAHON

Judging by this shot of fresh green grass in our garden, you wouldn't think this country is still in drought. Melbourne's dams and catchment areas are hovering just above the 30 per cent mark, but the gardens and nature strips of this beautiful city are greener than they were three weeks ago, courtesy the rain we were blessed with just after Easter.

I took this shot a couple of hours ago because I was entranced by the late-evening autumnal light. These blades of grass are less than an inch high, but this SMC Pentax-DA 1:2.8mm macro lens really captures the smallest details with exceptional clarity.

You can actually see the shadows and the delicate variation of light on some blades in this frame. Even though this is only a low-resolution version of the original, you can see the last of the day's sunshine highlighting the delicate "fur" on the sides of a couple of shoots of grass.

This shot is for Anna Carson's Project Green - and when you consider the fact that the newly-mown grass is only the height of an SD memory card, you get some understanding of how good this lens is.

Now here's a question for all of you. Which of these versions do you prefer: the first shot or this one below?

Coca-Cooler

Bucks Fizz (Or is That Fizz Bucks?)

Photographs copyright: DAVID McMAHON

I shot this series of photographs on Saturday afternoon. I just thought I'd take some shots of Coco-Cola being poured into a glass and then maybe some images from above the glass, of the Coke swirling among the ice cubes. So I put the SMC Pentax-DA 1:2.8mm Macro on my camera and got the experiment under way.

This first shot (above) was taken while I held a two-litre bottle of Coke in my left hand and poured it into the glass, while shooting the scene by holding the camera in my right hand. Let me tell you that required some co-ordination!


Then I noticed the beautiful colours swirling round the glass so I took this shot while holding the glass outdoors. Again, I held the glass in my left hand and shot with my right.

Then I noticed the iceberg effect (above) in the glass, with one-tenth of this ice cube above the surface of the Coca-Cola and the rest of it below the surface.


But this macro lens is so good that it'll capture crisp images while almost touching the object, so I went in even closer for this shot (above). You can see the effervescence clearly as the bubbles rise - and the lens is still good enough to capture the sheen on the underneath of the ice, as well as the gradations of colour across the liquid.


I quickly realised this was far more fun than shooting boring shots from the top of the glass. Then I saw something that took me back to my senior Science classes in Year 10 and 11, where my physics teacher - a brilliant man - explained the intricacies of surface tension and capillary action. Look at the surface of the Coca-Cola in this shot (above) and you'll see that it appears to be undulating around the ice cubes, a fact recorded with startling clarity by this macro lens.


So of course, I had to go closer for the last shot in this series. Then I rang a good friend of mine, to find out the scientific term for the concave surface of the liquid. Mr T, as I fondly refer to him, had the answer immediately. It's called a "meniscus", he said - and it comes from the Greek word meaning "crescent". The curve is produced by a molecular response to the surface of the glass, as well as the blocks of ice.

Regular visitors to my blog know that I never enhance my photographs in any way. But until now, I've never used a macro lens good enough to shoot a meniscus with this sort of clarity. I guess you'd all agree that this series of shots from the side of the glass was far more rewarding than shooting it from the top, as I had originally intended.

Ice Spy

Good Things Always Come In Freeze

Photographs copyright: DAVID McMAHON

Beautiful warm afternoon. Back yard bathed in mellow sunshine. Pour some ice into a glass. Hang on a second, mate. Grab the camera. How about a macro shot or two? Yep, for sure.

Get the 300mm Sigma lens off the camera. Put the new macro lens on, the SMC Pentax-DA 1:2.8mm Macro Limited. Fire off three or four random frames. Like I said, random frames.

Much later, check the shots on the computer screen. Aaaaaaargh, can I kick myself. Why? Let me explain. Like I said, they were random shots to show the ice glinting in the sunlight like crystal shards.

Look closer at the ice block on the left. Look at the edge of the ice block. See the miniature crystal fence forming along the edge? No, you can't really see it here, because these are scaled-down, low-resolution versions of the original shot. So let me give you a closer look ....

Now you can see why I wanted to kick myself. Even though the "crystal fence" on the top edge of the ice block was too small to spot with the naked eye, I should have taken some close-in shots like I normally do. The rare sight was more priceless than a Swarovski beard on a crystal figure of Santa Claus.

Now if you'll excuse me, I have to spend the next 24 hours wearing a hand-printed sign that says "Kick Me".

Which is a bit like Roberta Flack's big hit, "Kicking me softly with your song, kicking me softly ....."

(The Odd Shots concept came from Katney. Say "G'day" to her.)

Just Twisted, Not Bitter

Where's Chubby Checker When You Need Him?

Photographs copyright: DAVID McMAHON

TNChick had me racking my brain today, with the theme for this week's Photo Hunt being "Twisted". So in the absence of a Chubby Checker lookalike to photograph, it is my pleasure to give you this variety of takes on the subject. Each object was photographed exactly where it was. I donlt believe in moving things to shoot them in a better light or from a better angle - working around a problem is the true joy of photography.

Here's a challenge for all of you - see if you can guess what each object is.

No. 1. We'll start with an easy one. If you said pipe cleaners, you are correct.

No. 2. This was a curly one to shoot, because I was working in a very cramped space.


Figured it out? Yes, of course you have. It's the twisted wire from a hair straightener called a GHD - which I am reliably informed by certain members of the Authorblog mansion is an acronym for "Good Hair Day".

No 3. It's "knot" too hard to solve, is it? Time to put your thinking cap on.

Okay, it's the laces on a pair of Adidas trainers. I reckon it was either a very brave decision or a very foolhardy one to try and photograph a white object with no other colours in the frame. But that's the beauty of pushing the boundaries, isn't it?


No 4. Getting more challenging now? Any bright ideas? It's not the lord of the rings. That's for sure.


This was a pair of Osram MiniTwist energy-saver light globes. They were still in their thick plastic packaging, which made it a lot harder to photograph them while dealing with extraneous reflection.

No 5. This set of weather-beaten wires is an external set of Christmas lights, photographed on a hot Melbourne afternoon. The light colour of the bricks tended to wash out in the extremely bright light, so I composed the shot to include the dark, clear shadow as well.

No 6. Whaddya reckon? Any ideas? Maybe it's part of a spring collection.

This view of the same object will give you a better idea of what it is. Yep, it's a spring from a trampoline.

(The photographs accompanying this post were taken with a new macro lens, the SMC Pentax-DA 1:2.8mm Macro Limited. Note the clarity and the great depth of field - and watch this blog for more shots with this lens.)

L Is For Levi's

The Day Denim Graced The Catwalk

Photographs copyright: DAVID McMAHON

Credit must be given where credit is due, and 'tis the beautiful Mrs Authorblog who was a model during her university years, before becoming a flight attendant with an international airline. But I can now reveal my own modelling story - with a slight twist.

I was 21 years old when I got a call at my desk, in the Calcutta newspaper publishing group that employed me. The caller was a person I had met a couple of times and he wanted to know if I had any spare time. At the time I was fairly active in theatre and so I hesitated slightly. I was working full-time, often working late into the night and sometimes on weekends as well.

In addition, I also played several sports. I did not have any spare time. None at all. But before I could say that, the caller continued and so I quickly bit my tongue.

"We know you've done some modelling and we'd like to know if you're interested in some more work with a leading client."

At this point in time, a monetary contract was mentioned. It was a decent sum.

Funny how you can go in a split second from having no spare time at all to plenty of spare time.. I agreed - but I was told I had to attend an audition first, followed by a stringent selection process.

"What sort of campaign is it?" I asked.

"It's not a print media campaign. It's a fashion show. Catwalk modelling."

And so it started. The first evening was a meet-and-greet, getting to know the organisers and meeting the other models. I was given the nod. I was now a catwalk model.

Well, not quite. I had to learn how to walk. Y'know, the catwalk walk. It wasn't easy. At first I was told that I looked like a soldier marching on a parade ground. "Loosen up," I was told. So I did. But then I was too casual. "Smarten up," I was told. This modelling gig was a lot harder than I thought. Funny how the simple act of walking - something we do every day of our lives - suddenly takes on an aura of complication when you move from everyday life to a modelling rehearsal.

Somehow, they got me to walk like a model. They deserved a whole consignment of Olympic medals for schooling me so quickly.

Then things got tougher. They told us who the client was and informed the male models that we would be wearing suits. No casual clothes. No sports gear. Expensive suits. Tailored in such a manner that they would mould themselves to our bodies. With that information came a corollary. Because the client was such a large corporation, their executives wanted to inspect the models.

That afternoon it was carnage on the catwalk. Several times the execs said they did not like the look of models. Just before I walked on, one of the choreographers pulled me aside and said, in no uncertain terms, that I had to surpass everything I had done so far. They were already reeling from the thought of having to replace so many models. So I walked like never before. And I got the thumbs-up.

At this point, we were measured for our clothes. A few days later, the amazing fabrics were delivered and the promise was accurate - we had never worn clothes with so much class.

Then things went pear-shaped for me. About a week before the first big show, I had to fly to the southern Indian city of Bangalore to cover a five-day cricket Test match. I was going to be away for a week.

The show's organisers held a council of war and came up with a terrific compromise. If I could fly out of Bangalore immediately after the Test match ended, I would be back in Calcutta with about an hour to spare. I would then join the rest of the models, the choreographers and all the organisers and we would travel overnight to Siliguri, in the foothills of the Himalayas, for the first live show the next night.

But even the best-laid plans of mice and men can sometimes go astray.

On the appointed night in Bangalore, I had checked in for my Airbus A300 flight and I was in the airport restaurant, having dinner, when the announcement came over the PA system. Indian Airlines had cancelled my flight. All passengers with confirmed seats would be put on the next evening's flight.

There was no option. No alternative. This was in the days of a sole domestic airline. A Government-owned monopoly domestic airline. I was stranded. And because it was way past office closing time, I had no way of contacting the organisers of the fashion show.

Mobile phone? Nup. This was before mobile phones were commonplace.

So I gritted my teeth, waited twenty-four hours and caught the flight to Calcutta on Thursday night. Early on Friday morning, I rocked up at the Indian Airlines office and booked a flight to Bagdogra. This was familiar territory for me, because in my boarding school years, the school had flown us to Bagdogra each year before we made the three-hour journey up to our school in the stunningly beautiful Himalayan town of Darjeeling. I knew this part of the country like the back of my hand.

From Bagdogra, I caught a cab to Siliguri, and found the hotel where the rest of the crew were staying. They were delighted to see me, but there was one piece of bad news.

When I hadn't turned up as arranged, they thought I had chickened out or that I had been taken ill. So no one had brought my splendid suits to Siliguri. There I was, having flown halfway across the country - and I had no clothes to wear.

Kind of.

Someone found my shirts in a wardrobe. I was wearing a pair of Levi's. So on the night of the show, I made a couple of quick changes, wearing my jeans and sporting a change of shirt each time.

It was the only time denim took its place among the ritzy suits and gowns. And I walked better than ever before. Real casual, like.

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

(The photographs accompanying this post were taken with a new macro lens, the SMC Pentax-DA 1:2.8mm Macro Limited. Note the clarity and the great depth of field - and watch this blog for more shots with this lens.)