Splashing Colour Across The Sky

If Only I Could Paint Like This

Photographs copyright: DAVID McMAHON

I've always thought photographers and painters are richly blessed in this country, where vibrant hues are so often taken for granted. This sunset, with its flaming skyshow, was photographed about a month ago. I was standing on top of a hill in Narre Warren, in Melbourne's southeast, near the bike track of the 2006 Commonwealth Games.

I shot about two dozen frames very quickly, using different focal lengths and several variations of compositions to try and capture the colours as they spread and morphed across a wide expanse of sky. Looking at these shots, you wouldn't think I had power lines right across the scene in front of me. Sometimes the lines themselves can add to the perspective, but only half the shots I took that day have the power lines across them.

I was using a 300mm Sigma lens on my Pentax K100D - and it's always interesting to see the incredible amount of detail and clarity that the lens picks up. I was concentrating totally on the colours and the framing of each shot, but when I got home and looked at the images on my computer, I was intrigued to see what looks like a tiny purple ship on the right-hand side of the horizon.

If you look carefully, you can even see it on these low-res versions of the original shots. Could it perhaps be a 21st century version of the famous ghost ship, the Mary Celeste? Naaaaah, I don't think so.

In actual fact, I think the "ship" is really the office buildings of Melbourne's central business district - but I need to return to this hill and take some more shots to check this out.

I've shot sunsets from this point before, because it gives me wonderful access across a gentle but dramatic valley - and I ain't never noticed the tall buildings of the city from this vantage point. At this stage I should point out that the city is at least 35 kilometres away from Narre Warren, as the crow flies. No, I’m not kidding. It’s 35 kilometres – or almost 22 miles. Amazing, isn’t it?

So stand by and we'll solve this mystery together. Soon.

For other participants in Dot’s concept, go to Sky Watch Friday.