He's A Real Live Wire

Truly A Volt From The Blue

Photograph copyright: DAVID McMAHON

This was just an off-the-cuff shot, taken in Dawson City in the Yukon five months ago. I had just arrived in the historic old town, where every street corner tells a story, and I had an hour to kill before dinner.

I guess I could have put my feet up in my hotel room, after travelling a few hundred kilometres – but the great quest for any photographer is to try and capture as many images as possible.

So I dropped my bags off, grabbed my cameras and – with one eye on the time – walked briskly as far as I could. I was actually on my way back to the hotel when I shot this image on a whim. Remember – this was long before I decided to make it a point to shoot door scenes.

So what caught my attention here? I guess it was the beautiful blue. To some critics, this could be "just" an ordinary scene, but to me (and to some of you, I’m sure) it’s an interesting image that goes beyond the mundane, especially because the red-and-white "Danger: High Voltage" sign is a subtle counterpoint to the striking blue that dominates the scene.

I guess you could say the atmosphere was electric.

For earlier posts in this series, check out The Doors Archive.