Monday, December 08, 2008

As The Cog Crows

What Do You See In This Shot?

Photograph copyright: DAVID McMAHON


I'm curious, so I'd like to know what you first "saw" here. Did you see the circular, cog-like teeth in the foreground? Or was your eye drawn immediately to the centre of the frame, to the chrome pattern?

Or perhaps you initially noticed the two sets of strings, slightly left of centre and in the extreme right-hand segment of the shot?

Photography - like life - is all about perspective. This second shot, taken with a different focal length and providing a wider view of the subject, shows clearly that it is simply a set of three banjos.

Did you pick the subject immediately? Do let me know .....


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

25 comments:

Rune Eide said...

As a matter of fact I picked the three instruments at once (I even thought "what's so special about that"?) - sorry, but in this case it is I who am special.

rosecreekcottage-carol.blogspot.com said...

I did know them immediately...and my eye focused on the strings and label in the center of the photo! You choose such interesting subjects, David....always varied....always special. Thank you.

i beati said...

banjos - a country girl Sandy

Katney said...

I only registered two banjos when first looking at the first picture. I had to go back up to see that all three were actually visible.

Interesting angles and composition of parts is what makes Odd Shots odd sometimes.

Akelamalu said...

I immediately saw the three banjos.

® ♫ The Brit ♪ ® said...

Yes I too immediately saw that they were 3 banjos....
ahh this was easy David! give us something to make our brains work! ;)

Fireblossom said...

follows the crowd...I saw banjos as well, straightaway.

I've also noticed your fondness, David, for photographing things in series of twos and threes. ;-)

polona said...

i can't say why exactly but my first intuitive thought when i saw the photo was, "banjos!"
then my eyes settled on the strings and the brand of the middle one and the outlines of the instruments...

Saz said...

love it David, you have a fabulous eye for this images and compositions...

I could never ban joe!!

Hadriana's Treasures said...

My eye was drawn to the logo/maker's stamp on each one. My daughter (5) saw a mixture of tambourines and guitars...

Anonymous said...

Another one who immediately saw "banjos" and whose attention was drawn to the maker's name. I didn't pay attention to the soundboard ornamentation until after I read your commentary. I was too busy with dueling banjos.

Maggie May said...

I immediately saw the three instruments but my eye was drawn to the centre one and rested on the silvery surround & then shot to the labels on each one!

Cath said...

I was drawn to the strings - but that's the musician in me. (Pianist - alas not a guitar or banjo!)

I guessed at banjo, but anything more exotic would have flummoxed me!

Lee said...

I noticed the round shape of the wood and then counted the strings. They are banjos and very popular instruments in Country music. Nice, interesting shots, David.

Cheers!

arleena said...

Wonderful and very nice flowers

Leslie: said...

Yes, I saw they were banjos right away. Maybe because an old bf (not the new/old one lol) used to play banjo.

The W.O.W. factor! said...

Oh dear, I'm way off based here! Not being muscially inclined whatsoever, when the picture first loaded I saw the lighting on the metallic design around the middle (yes,I know now~) banjo & then to the top of the picture. I instantly thought of an elegant womans' hand mirror, the back of...shows what I know (or don't)about instruments.
Concentrating more to the details, yes I knew my firt vision was wrong. Oh well...

Gypsy at heart said...

I registered musical instruments at once, but I thought you ere focusing on the "face" peeping from behind the first one....LOL

spacedlaw said...

I saw fuirst the strings, so it was an immediate clue as to what I was looking at (if not the actual instrument).

Hilary said...

The first thing I heard was the theme from Deliverance.. ;)

Great shot!

Jane Hards Photography said...

From the land o George Formby and the ukelele I got the banjos straight off, but it's still a great shot and always enjoy the writing.

Anonymous said...

Easy peasy...three banjos

Richard Lawry said...

I immediately heard banjo music, which love, in my head. I didn't even notice the differences in the banjos until i read the blog.

An Arkie's Musings

Craig Glenn said...

David,
I got banjos right away. Growing up in the south (usa), it wasn't much of a reach for me. Deliverance (the movie) was actually filmed my my home state. My eyes went straight for the emblem in the center. Couldn't quite make it out....
Craig

Tessa said...

I was immediately drawn to the rounded shapes and the frieze of pattern on the rims and that gorgeous mellowy yellowy colour. (My sitting room is nearly that shade) Love how the picture gets straight to the heart of the matter, y'know?