Saturday, September 15, 2007

Red A Dare

Every Fruit Tree Tells A Story

Photographs copyright: DAVID McMAHON


As we come to the end of the first fortnight of the Australian spring, the fruit trees are a stunning variety of colours. Some are just starting to bloom, but these cherry trees have lost all their flowers and are now sporting an array of translucent red leaves. This shot was taken mid-morning recently and even though there was some scattered cloud, the sunlight on the dark branches caught my eye. After I'd tried my best to capture it (above) I stepped back and realised there was a beautiful contrast of colours if I could frame this tree and the fresh green foliage of the one next to it (below). My neck's still a bit sore from the effort! But hey, every photographer has to stick his or her neck out sometimes ....


32 comments:

Wanda said...

Thank you for sticking your neck out for us, David. The results are beautiful...Need some Ben-Gay!

david mcmahon said...

Hi Wanda,

So glad you enjoyed the shots. Melbourne is a photographer's paradise - truly.

Few Aussies would know what Ben-Gay is, but my brother once brought some back from Camada when I was a teenager. I can still remember the odour - and it worked beautifully, too!

Here the Aussie equivalent is called Deep Heat.

Keep smiling

David

dr. filomena said...

Ooooohhhhh WOW David! I love those colours! Just beautiful.
Alenka

david mcmahon said...

Hi Dr Filomena,

Thank you. Like I just said to Wanda, this city is a photographer's paradise, any time of year.

I just loved the sunlight on the branches, too!

Keep smiling

David

Bart said...

Heya.

Gonna be a sonuvabitch and nominate my own post for Post of the Day.

http://www.bartraeke.com/2007/09/brushes-with-death-or-at-least-serious.html

eric1313 said...

Gorgeuos pictures, David.

The trees look alive; still life in its own kind of motion.

Bart said...

David - re: your comment: The pictures are up, I forgot to remove that last line when I put them up.

Neva said...

Very nice picture...the colors are magnificent...so well worth the neck pain! lol....you have very beautiful photos...I have added you to my ABC Wednesday blog roll...hope that is ok!

Digital Flower Pictures said...

What great colors, especially the contrasting ones. They look well worth the effort to capture them. I am longing for spring already.

david mcmahon said...

G'day Bart,

Nice work. Big confession - and I'm glad you were able to find safety with the last lunge.

Gripping re-telling of the drama.

Keep smiling

David

david mcmahon said...

G'day Eric,

Glad you liked it - and your description of still life absolutely rocks.

Keep smiling

David

david mcmahon said...

Hi again, Bart-Man,

Ah, I thought that might have happened!

Great idea to post the pics - just gave us a way to anchor our imagination as you described the scene.

Keep smiling

David

david mcmahon said...

Hi Neva,

Thank you for visiting again. Glad you liked the pictures. I'd be flattered to be added to your ABC roll.

My humble thanks

Keep smiling

David

david mcmahon said...

Hi Chris,

As you would appreciate, Australian flora is just a vivid palette.

You would love it.

Keep smiling

David

whimsical brainpan said...

I'm glad you did stick your neck out, what beautiful pics!

david mcmahon said...

G'day Whimsy,

Always lovely to see you here. Many thanks - I'm glad you enjoyed the pictures.

The neck strain is improving!

Keep smiling

David

Rachel said...

Gorgeous colors!

david mcmahon said...

Hi Queen,

Isn't it strange that I didn't ``see'' the second shot until much later!

Keep smiling

David

david mcmahon said...

Hi Rachel,

Thank you. I actually pulled over in the car because the sight of those colours was so striking.

Lucky I always have my camera with me!

Keep smiling

David

lime said...

the colors are just so vibrant!!

Movie Mazaa said...

GawdAwesome, David!!

:o
:)

david mcmahon said...

G'day Lime,

It's a great time of year to be out with a camera.

And Melbourne is such a quiet city that there was no sound while I was shooting that sight.

Keep smiling

David

david mcmahon said...

G'day MM,

Great to see you here so regularly. Thanks - I'm glad you liked the colours.

They literally stopped me in my tracks!

Keep smiling

David

Dottie said...

Absolutely beautiful! Soon the trees around here will be full of color..and you can bet I'll be carrying my camera around.

david mcmahon said...

Hi Dottie,

I was in Muskoka a couple of years ago when the colours were just cranking up.

I'd love to see your shot when the foliage starts changing.

Keep smiling

David

Berni said...

I am so glad you shared these pictures with us. Only this morning I was thinking that Australia would be coming into spring now as we go into fall and I was wondering if the Australian trees had fabulous fall colours like we do.

Red Adaire, I never knew him personally but my Father who was an oil man in the Middle East and in the North Sea spoke admiringly of him, having watched him work.

david mcmahon said...

Hi Vic,

See my comment above to Dottie. No, we don't have the fall colours that you have - but the Australian landscape right round this great country is alive with vibrant colours that are a photographer's dream.

Very interested in your Dad's memories of Red Adair. Do you have any more details?

Where in the Middle East was your father based?

Cheers

David

indicaspecies said...

Superb shots David. Your titles are as interesting as your pictures. Red Adair was in Kuwait in 1991.

david mcmahon said...

Hi Celine,

Thank you. I do try and have a bit of fun with my post titles.

Yes, he played a pivotal role in fighting the oil field fires after the end of the first Gulf War.

Always a pleasure to hear from you

Keep smiling

David

Merisi said...

Beautiful image and colours! Very inspiring. :-)
Near the equinox, when the sun is close to crossing the celestial equator, the light changes. Here in Vienna, where we are drifting into

david mcmahon said...

Hi Merisi,

What a wonderful explanation about the light - especially for someone like me, who is fascinated by it.

Keep smiling

David

Berni said...

Hi again David, Just checking out your answers and see you enquired about where my Dad worked. He was with Iraq Petroleum Company working out of Kirkuk. I visited him in my summer holidays.

BTW I am looking forward to my special post.