G Is For Grace

Sometimes We Find It In Unexpected Places

Photograph copyright: DAVID McMAHON

There is no knowing where you'll find the next object on which to train your camera. This gracefully crafted piece of metalwork caught my eye one morning, in a beautifully maintained garden on the tropical island of Langkawi, Malaysia, in July last year.

It was part of a footpath lamp that was about two and a half metres tall and although this was shot early in the morning beside the beach, I was in deep shade cast by a canopy of tall trees.

I was able to stand on a step on the steep hillside to achieve the angle of shooting downwards on something that was actually a few inches taller than I am!

I framed this very deliberately to include the interesting but subtle reflection on the convex surface of the lamp in the top right-hand corner, as well as the muted tones highlighting the curved section of the painted metal in the bottom right-hand corner.

This composition also gave me some interesting (and varied) background hues to highlight my main subject, with the edge of the water only about thirty metres away.

Just for the record, have a look at the second shot (below). It's taken from exactly the same spot a couple of seconds later, with the same settings. But this time I changed the focus ring so that the metal was in soft focus and the hotel pool and the nearby sea were the main subject.

For the home of ABC Wednesday, go to Mrs Nesbitt's Place.

High And Mighty

Building A Huge Reputation

Photograph copyright: DAVID McMAHON

Just when you think you've photographed one of the world's landmarks too many times in one day and you cannot possibly shoot another creative image - hey, that's as good a time as any to look for an unusual angle.

I was walking away from the Petronas Towers in Kuala Lumpur in July last year when I decided to take one last shot.

I spotted the fronds of a nearby palm tree and thought it would be a great idea to try and work them into the image. I literally took this shot over my left shoulder, craning my neck backwards like a circus contortionist.

Apart from the fact that I was able to include the huge Malaysian flag that hangs on the facade of one of the towers, I really like the fact that the apex of this image includes differing geometrical shapes - straight lines, some triangles, a series of arcs, and a graceful wave-like pattern at the top of the tower.

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Empty Vessels Make The Least Sound

Only The Lapping Of The Early-Morning Tide

Photograph copyright: DAVID McMAHON

This shot was taken early in the morning in Langkawi, the tropical Malaysian island, during our holiday there last July. One of the Authorbloglets and I went exploring this settlement, about a fifteen-minute walk from the Sheraton. There was not much traffic on the road and the dew was still heavy on the grass, yet the temperature was already very sultry and the humidity was high as well.

We spent a few minutes photographing the brightly coloured local homes and then wandered down this waterway, a little canal that was just off the main road. I was about half an hour too late for true, soft dawn light, but also about half an hour too early for strong daylight.

Nevertheless, it was still an experience to get some shots of these fishing boats and then to stand there and watch as the first fishermen refuelled their vessels, started up and then expertly navigated their way down the canal, past the other moored boats and out towards the open sea.

Visit MamaGeek and Cecily, creators of Photo Story Friday.