Verse and worse

If you love to pose

With a freshly cut rose

Then nuthin' will thrill yer

Like a purple grevillea

Just gimme a ball park figure

Photograph copyright: DAVID MCMAHON (Image ID: USA2010-NYC02July-1050)

There aren't many shots I take with a focal length of only 18mm, but this is one of them. It was shot late on a perfect evening in early July in New York's Central Park, as a single batter limbered up, with long shadows showing how late in the day it was when I took the photograph..

The range of colours, as well as the strong horizontal patterns, had to be captured against that beautiful sky. For us, it was strange to be walking through Central Park in shorts and T-shirts, because frosty Melbourne was in the grip of winter when we flew out.

Verse and worse

There once was a bloke called Wilberforce Schneider

Who slid down ALL banisters (and was nicknamed The Slider)

He did blackflips and star jumps and 360-spanglers

But his mother complained that he ruined his Wranglers

This seat fits like a ... glove

Photograph copyright: DAVID McMAHON (Image ID: USA2010-Long Island-8563)

I'd never seen anything so unique - or colourful. On our first day in Long Island, we drove past an ice cream parlour that had these outdoor chairs in the late-June sunshine, so of course I had to stop to take a shot.

About a week later, we went back there, on a dual mission. Not only did I have to find out if the "chairs" were locally made, I also had to sample the ice cream as well. Turns out the chairs were ordered specially from a non-NYC manufacturer and shipped in.

And the ice cream? The Authorbloglets and I gave it a thumbs up!

Verse and worse

Lord Balfour was ill (so terribly stricken)

When he ate his enemy's poisoned chicken

His lips turned blue, his hips wouldn't move

But a drink of fine port gave him back his groove

What kind of honeycomb is that?

Photograph copyright: DAVID McMAHON (Image ID: 131-6646)

It's not a honeycomb. It's not an advertising hoarding. It's not a computer game. It's not some hi-tech set for a television game show, either.

I shot this in an amusement parlour a few weeks ago, with the permission of the staff. As soon as I saw the changing colours on these segmented platforms, each for a single player, I knew I had to take a shot. I chose my angle carefully, to include the silhouette on the right and the metal stool on the left.

By shooting it from side-on, I figured it would create a more interesting (even perhaps intriguing) sight than shooting it from front-on. This angle also gave me the added attraction of the reflections on both sides of the metal.

Verse and worse

Because her brain was affected (by weevil)

Lady Macbeth never thought she was evil

She thought it her duty, as a nobleman's wife

To know how to use a sharp stabbing knife

Cutting remark

Photograph copyright: DAVID McMAHON (Image ID: 132-8552)

Let me start by saying the cutting remark was not made by me. It was made by one of our neighbours, when we happened to meet at a recent wedding. And no, the cutting remark was not made in a mean-spirited way. All she wanted was a rose (you guessed it) cutting.

She explained that she drives past Casa Authorblog every morning and throughout spring and summer she really enjoys the sight of the sea of roses that adorn the western perimeter of our property. They are a variety of colours, with traditional bushes mixed with climbing roses - and our neighbour says they bring her joy every morning as she goes to work.

And then she made me promise that the next time I prune the roses, I will give her a selection of cuttings for her own garden. Gotta love those "cutting" remarks, right?

Verse and worse

Nuthin's colder or windier

Than the far north of India

Where my first cousin Betty

Rode to school on a yeti

A real display of inviting colours

Photograph copyright: DAVID McMAHON (Image ID: Malaysia2010-3816)

Perhaps this was once the main entrance to a pagoda. There was no one around to tell me if this was a real pagoda or not, or whether it used to be one many years ago. This was adjacent to the entrance of a shopping centre in Kuala Lumpur - and really whetted my curiosity.

I was drawn to the shapes and the bright colours - but I also wondered about the unpainted wooden square on the right. Perhaps it once held flowers or incense. It just doesn't seem to be part of the original structure. If you have any theories, do let me know.

Verse and worse

The dance instructor, he was so miffed

When they told him he moved way too swift

So he took them round, from waltz to jive

Before the pupils could count to five

Going for gold

Photograph copyright: DAVID McMAHON (Image ID: 125-7680)

Sometimes the more unusual shots occur in places where you wouldn't instinctively look. There was a great sunset across the Yarra on a late-April evening, and after I took a couple of shots across the shimmering river, I turned my attention to the city skyline in the opposite direction.

Briefly, the golden glow transformed an ordinary office building into a huge vertical ingot - yet it didn't endow the surrounding buildings with any special effects. I guess I framed this tight image to concentrate on the contrast, to highlight the semi-abstract view, and to include the nearby spire of St Paul's Cathedral. And yes, the flawless sky can be seen as well, between the skyscrapers.

Who said city skylines are dull?

Verse and worse

Monsignor Noakes drank several Cokes

And fell in a heap beneath the oaks

The doctor (a swine) said ''You’ll soon be fine ….

But next time stick to Communion wine’’

Raise the red lantern

Photograph copyright: DAVID McMAHON (Image ID: Malaysia2010-3575)

I shot this outside the Pavilion centre in Kuala Lumpur on a hot, humid January day this year. We had walked past the place the previous evening and my attention was caught by a beautiful floral display in the courtyard, as well as the lanterns that seemed to rain down from the atrium above.

But the real challenge was to shoot the red cascade from a different point of view, rather than simply front-on. By shooting it from directly underneath, it brought fresh perspective, as well as the reflections behind the lanterns. For me, the bonus was being able to see the clear glass atrium above, with the geometrical squares against the sky.

By the way, if you fancy your powers of observation, take a simple 30-second challenge here that I've posted on my Red Bubble site.

Verse and worse

So proud and tall above the marble plinth

Stood a lead-crystal vase of water hyacinth

No rose-like aroma, no clustered azalea

The botanist felt like a miserable failure

Studying for your bar exam?

Photograph copyright: DAVID McMAHON (Image ID: 131-7720)

We had just finished dinner at the Hog's Breath Cafe when the lighting around the bar area caught my eye. By this time we were out on the wide pedestrian walkway, and I knew I didn't really have enough time to go back inside.

So I shot this from outside, looking through the wide glass window that allows passers-by to look into the cafe. I could have shot a really tight frame, with just the black silhouettes against the blue-lit bar, but it was much more fun to allow one of the wooden chairs to intrude in the foreground!

By the way, did you look close enough to spot the reflection on the top of the chair in the middle?

And if you want to take part in a fun title-writing contest on my Red Bubble site, just click here to enter (or simply view) the entries for a "numbers" image with a difference!

Verse and worse

The bloke next door is Big Tim Buck

He drives a massive haulage truck

He has two does and one buck (Hugh)

The deer farm helps pay Tim Buck, too

All the fun of the fare

Photograph copyright: DAVID McMAHON (Image ID: USA2010-01July-0274)

If you're familiar with my photography, whether it is here on my blog or on my Red Bubble site, you'd know that I enjoy shooting familiar objects from unusual angles. (This is only a low-res version, but if you'd like to view the full-size original on my Red Bubble page, just click here.)

So when Mrs Authorblog and I took the Authorbloglets to the Big Apple in late June this year, we figured we had to take one of those open-top bus tours to see as much of Manhattan as swiftly as we could, while trying to cover all the major spots on foot. It's a good thing I'm used to firing off shots from a moving vehicle, after my experiences in the Yukon and certain other spots around the world.

This shot was taken from my vantage spot on the left-hand side of the top of the bus. I was using my standard 18-125mm lens, rather than the 70-300mm lens I always carry with me. It was more than sufficient to compose a tight frame of a familiar symbol of NYC, albeit from a point of view not often seen.

Verse and worse

Lord Balfour surveyed the gathering rabble

But called on his courtiers for a game of Scrabble

“Instead of sending soldiers to our stout wooden door

I’d much rather play for a triple word score.”

Lest we forget

Photograph copyright: DAVID McMAHON (Image ID: USA2010-021July-0337)

This just seemed to be an appropriate image to post today. As you'd remember, my post yesterday was about an Australian veteran from World War II, but this shot is for my friends in the United States, as they celebrate Veterans Day.

This was shot in the first week of July this year, as we soaked up the atmosphere of New York City. But if you're curious about where this image was taken, displaying light and shade in an extremely historic part of the city, all you have to do is check out an image I posted on my Red Bubble site here along with my reason/s why it was one of the most significant moments of my trip.