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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Bar, Bar, Black Sheep

Tell Your Fronds, Er, Friends About It

Photograph copyright: DAVID McMAHON

We were walking down a street in Kuala Lumpur last year, heading unerringly towards the Petronas Twin Towers, but I lagged about twenty or thirty metres behind the rest of the clan because I had to keep stopping to take photographs.

This was one of the reasons I had to stop. No, not to go into the bar. Just to take the photograph!

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

Seeing The Light

You’ll Have To Do Better Than That, Mate

Photographs copyright: DAVID McMAHON

Last July, during a family holiday in Malaysia, we found ourselves in the Chinatown area of Kuala Lumpur. It is properly known as Petaling Street and as we slowly but cheerfully made our way to the end of the shopping paradise, we spotted this neon sign.

Er, um, let me re-phrase that. My son and I spotted the neon sign, while certain members of our (extended) family concentrated on retail details.

The interesting thing about the sign was that it switched very quickly between on-and-off modes. He knew exactly what I was going to do and chuckled as I lined up the shot.

Mate, it was easier said than done. I hit the shutter three times before I was able to capture this late-night scene with all the elements of the neon sign ablaze.

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Noah's Arch

Hungry For Success

Photograph copyright: DAVID McMAHON

Sometimes a single image, symbol or word can transcend all cultures and all languages. The golden arches of McDonald’s, the global corporation envisioned and tirelessly promoted by the late Ray Kroc, would have to full into that category of instant global recognition.

This was shot as we walked down Petaling Street, in the Chinatown area of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on a hot July night last year. There’s no language barrier. There’s no need for a translator. More crucially, there’s no ambiguity about the product.

Now that’s what you call great advertising.

And I couldn't resist the chance to post this image below. As we entered Petaling Street, one of the hawk-eyed Authorbloglets pointed out this delivery motorcycle. Now I have to ask the question - do you know of a McDonald's outlet that does home delivery? Seriously?


Visit TNChick's Photo Hunt. Today's theme: "Advertising''.

You Calling Me A Basket Case?

Hang On, They're Petunias

Photograph copyright: DAVID McMAHON

Last July we were on a family holiday in Malaysia, a part of the world I'd never visited before although I have made several visits to neighbouring Singapore. The result was that the clan had a great two-part holiday, on the island of Langkawi where time stood still, and then in Kuala Lumpur where there were too many photographs to be taken, so I couldn't stand still.

This was taken on the main road, just outside our hotel, the Shangri-La, as we walked to the monorail shortly after checking in. I was determined to get as close to the kerb as possible (within the bounds of safety, of course) to take this shot, because I wanted to frame the white petunias with the blue-and-white sign. Yes, it is a taxi bay.

They really do things in style in KL. If you want a taxi, you don't have to stand there windmilling your arms as the traffic flies past you. You just walk to a taxi bay, clearly designated and prominently marked - and hey presto, it all happens as if by magic. And if you do have to wait a minute or two, you have beautiful flowers to gaze at in the interim.

Visit Luiz Santilli Jr for the home of Today's Flowers.

All Hands On Deck

Michael Rowed The Boat Ashore

Photograph copyright: DAVID McMAHON

Maybe the captain of this vessel found himself in the doldrums. No, look carefully at the image and you’ll see that this was not shot in some exotic marina, or some lagoon in the Caribbean. It was shot on a city street.

Yes, you read that correctly. On a city street.

We were in Kuala Lumpur last July and decided to walk from our hotel, the Shangri-La, to the nearby Petronas Towers. As always, I was lagging several yards behind the rest of the family because I kept stopping to take shots of objects or sights that caught my eye.

This boat is just a great advertisement for a local restaurant. Don’t worry, there won’t be a mutiny on the bountiful.

Visit MamaGeek and Cecily, creators of Photo Story Friday.

Local Flavour

Quite An Appetite For Photography

Photograph copyright: DAVID McMAHON

Petaling Street in Kuala Lumpur is the place to be after dusk, if you’re an avid shopper. But you don’t just have to be into retail therapy to appreciate this memorable thoroughfare, the heart of Chinatown. If you appreciate adventurous cuisine, or simply observing the world go by, this is a great place to be.

I can truthfully say that I bought nothing on the long evening we spent here last July. But I did take several photographs of the many sights that caught my attention. The street stalls do a very brisk trade and tourists walk away with some very handy bargains, but as most males will tell you, it’s a handy idea to have plenty of food stalls in the vicinity.

The young woman behind this counter looks as if she is having a quiet evening. In truth, she was almost run off her feet. I watched her serve a long line of customers efficiently and courteously. As swiftly as she served some people, others would arrive in the queue – obviously a reliable sign that the food being served from behind the counter was high-quality.

It was several minutes before she cleared all the orders and I hit the button just as she took a moment’s breather before the crowd descended again.

This was shot without a flash, because the lighting on the street is more than adequate if you are happy to adjust your settings. I took this at 1/60th of a second and ISO 800, so it’s a good thing she wasn’t moving. The slightest motion would have caused a blur – which is exactly how she probably thought the hours were passing.

Visit MamaGeek and Cecily, creators of Photo Story Friday.

The Orient Expressed

Working Up An Appetite For Colour

Photographs copyright: DAVID McMAHON

It’s not often I’m separated from my camera by more than about six feet. Even when it’s not slung around my shoulder or my neck, it’s in a bag within arm’s reach. But I was in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, with my family last July and we decided to explore our temporary abode, the Shangri-La Hotel.

We’d had a whole day outdoors exploring the city and since it was fairly late at night I didn’t think I’d need my camera, so I left it in our room. We walked around the spacious, ornate lobby and I was mentally ticking off shots I could take the next day – and angles that I could use in daylight.

Then we found our way to the Shang Palace restaurant and even before I got to its entrance, the colours just stopped me in my tracks. It was like looking at some ethereal artwork.


I turned around and, over my shoulder, told the rest of the clan that I was going back to the room for my camera. I was back in less than five minutes and I reckon I couldn’t have gone any quicker, even if I’d strapped a pair of rollerblades on.

It was an interesting exercise shooting this series, because the sheen on the walls caused a reflection that could have actually resulted in a crystal-clear close-up looking as if the focus had been botched. So I walked as far back down the corridor as I could, not only to minimise the problem but also to use the wonderful blue-and-black mural as a counterpoint to the other bright colours.


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

All The Fun Of The Fare

Deep In The Heart Of Taxis

Photographs copyright: DAVID McMAHON

I’ve caught taxis in many parts of the world, but I don’t think I’ve ever come across a taxi company that extends such a colourful welcome - or a more enthusiastic, visible greeting - to prospective passengers.

These shots were taken in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, last July, when the entire Authorblog family escaped the Melbourne winter and jumped on a plane to spend ten days in the tropics.

I was eleven years old when we visited Singapore for the first time and I remember being fascinated by the share-taxi concept that existed on the route from the city centre to Bukit Timah. You got into the cab and waited for three other passengers and as soon as they had materialised, the cab driver would get going. Because it was a fixed route, you paid a fixed fare, too.

That was a big deal for me, because the cabs that plied the route were big, majestic diesel Mercedes-Benz sedans. The first time I sat in one, I could barely believe my luck because it was the first time I had ever sat in a Benz. Man, did I have some stories to tell my envious classmates when I got back home.

I also remember vividly the self-closing doors of the silver-and-red taxis in another former British colony, Hong Kong. As soon as we got in I would reach for my seatbelt with one hand and the door handle with the other - but the door would swing closed. It was not immediately that I realised the cab driver was activating a switch that was closing the passenger door!

Both these shots were taken on the move. In KL. The first shot was taken on the long, scenic drive from the international airport to the Shangri-La hotel in the city. I saw the welcoming sticker on the door of a cab that pulled up alongside us at a traffic light - and quickly angled this shot before the lights changed.

The second shot (below) was taken as we walked along a busy footpath in the city centre a few days later. I could see the cab approaching in the lane closest to me and I knew the driver would have to slow down for a set of traffic lights.

I had my 18-125mm lens on the camera, so I composed a neat, tight frame and set the speed accordingly. Then I tracked the cab, allowing the camera lens to follow its path - and simply hit the shutter as soon as the cab was where I wanted it.

(Extra, extra, read all about it: I've been interviewed here. Thank you to all those who have followed this link and checked out the interview. There have been so many wonderful comments that I've tried to reply to each one personally - but you're setting a cracking pace. My humble and heartfelt thanks to all of you for the wonderful tributes and thoughts you have shared on the interview.)


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

Symphony In Orange

Vivid Colours In A Tropical Paradise

Photographs copyright: DAVID McMAHON

I'd be delighted if some expert could tell me what these flowers are called. The first two images was shot in Singapore in December 2007, as I walked around the island city-nation. A tropical thunderstorm had just passed through the area and I was making sure that I was never too far from an arcade or some form of shelter.


There was sound logic behind this. Just in case the heavens opened again, I would be able to do a quick sprint to the nearest point of shelter to protect my precious camera.

The flowers were simply growing by the side of the footpath, in that wonderfully landscaped environment that has been a part of my earliest Singapore memories, ever since my first visit there as an eleven-year-old.


It was not just the formation of the plant that attracted my attention, but the way the vivid orange stood out against the green foliage in the background. So too the graceful manner in which the leaves seemed to echo the intricate grace of a Thai or an Indian classical dancer.


This shot (above) was actually taken in Langkawi, Malaysia, last year. We were walking around the vast hotel property when I noticed this, but couldn't find anyone to tell me what it was called.


This frame (above) was shot in the Malaysian capital, Kuala Lumpur. We'd been sitting by the pool at our hotel for a few minutes when of course I had to do my customary "what's-in-the-vicinity-for-me-to-photograph" survey and lo and behold, I saw the same plant a few metres away.


After I'd shot a couple of frames of the blooms themselves, I also noticed that the long, narrow stems made an interesting sight with their contrasting colours and gentle angular orientation. So, quite naturally, I had to shoot a frame of that unusual view as well.

Obviously it was the same species of plant, but I couldn't find an amateur horticulturalist to tell me what it was called. I guess I'll just have to go back there to find out .....

(Extra, extra, read all about it: I've been interviewed here. Thank you to all those who have followed this link and checked out the interview. There have been so many wonderful comments that I've tried to reply to each one personally - but you're setting a cracking pace. My humble and heartfelt thanks to all of you for the wonderful tributes and thoughts you have shared on the interview.)

Visit Luiz Santilli Jr for the home of Today's Flowers.

The Shroud Of Tureen

What's Cookin', Good Lookin'?

Giant brass tureen in Chinatown, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Photograph copyright: DAVID McMAHON

Earn Your Stripes

This Place Will Have You Tied Up In Knots

Photograph copyright: DAVID McMAHON

It was a warm, humid evening in the famous Chinatown area of Kuala Lumpur, officially known as Petaling Street. But a bloke simply has to carry a camera all the time, right? You just never know what you'll see next. We were told by our concierge that the best time to visit Chinatown is in the evening - and it was great advice.

The place has a flavour that is impossible to capture in a single frame. There is a constant bustle, there are stalls everywhere. There are street vendors, there are stalls that stretch as far as the eye can see. There are bargains to be had in any line of purchase - and should you feel the need, there are plenty of places to stop and sample the local cuisine.

I must have been concentrating really hard on my photography, because I completely missed the opportunity to buy or tie or three. Next time, I'll race you there. As contests go, it could be neck and neck - but it could even end in a tie!

Visit MamaGeek and Cecily, creators of Photo Story Friday.

S Is For Sequence

A Can-Do Attitude Always Helps

Photographs copyright: DAVID McMAHON

We were on our way to the Petronas Towers in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, four months ago when I shot this sequence of images. The twin towers were so close to our hotel that we were able to walk down and as usual I was the laggard, several metres behind the rest of the family. It’s not that I dawdle; it’s not that I don’t like walking; it’s just that I am repeatedly compelled to stop and take photographs.

You know the feeling, don’t you? You’ve got the camera around your neck and you just have to capture every interesting scene that you spot.

We were literally in the shadow of the towers when I spotted this artwork near an underpass, so of course I had to drop anchor and take the shot. I took the first shot (above) from about 100 metres away, and at that distance it looked as if the artist/s had used paint to create this mural.


Just after I took the second shot, one of the Authorbloglets up ahead (I lag like a recalcitrant keyboard, remember?) called out to me. I was too far away for him to call out a specific message above the sound of the traffic, but I could see him pointing to the mural. By this time I thought it was made up of coloured tiles or patchwork colours.

It was only as I drew closer that I began to realise the whole mural seemed to have a metallic sheen to it. Metallic paint, perhaps? But I could not reconcile that theory. Metallic paint is fine on a vehicle, but why on earth would you use it for artwork, no matter how large the display.


When I finally caught up with the rest of the clan I realised what my son had been trying to draw my attention to. The striking display had been created using cans of locally-manufactured soft drink.

I guess there’s no end to what an artist can do. But Jeez, did he or she have to consume the contents of all those cans?


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

All Warm And Fuzzy (Literally)

Hot August Night - Er, Make That July Instead

Photograph copyright: DAVID McMAHON

Just when you think you’ve got technology all figured out, an unexpected situation comes along and forces you to scratch your head as you seek an answer.

This shot was taken on (as the post title says) a hot July night. We had just arrived in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia and even though it was close to 10.30pm, I decided to venture out of our hotel, the Shangri-La, to see if there were any late-night sights that I could photograph.

I had walked less than a quarter of a mile when I noticed the KL Tower to my left. I had my 300mm lens with me but because I wanted to capture the quality of the floodlights playing across the outer surface of the tower, I decided to use my 18-125mm lens instead.

Nine time out of ten, I don’t check the LCD screen after taking a shot. I guess that’s just a hangover from having learnt how to use a camera in pre-digital days, when I used spool film. But that night something made me look at the screen and I was instantly puzzled by the fuzzy image.

Above me was a beautiful tower in a sky only partially obscured by light cloud, while the moon hovered close to the spire. All very ethereal, right? But the image on my screen was hazy and not a true reflection of the colours and tones. I checked the settings. They were fine. I took another shot. No good.

So I stood there for a few seconds, wondering why my trusty camera, having travelled halfway round the world for two years, was playing up. Then my high-school science came flooding back to me and I grinned broadly as I quickly identified the problem.

The camera had been in the cold interior of our air-conditioned hotel room. I had walked a short distance very briskly before taking the lens cap off to take the shot of the tower. The hot, humid air had fogged up the lens, which was still a lot cooler than the surrounding air.

As soon as I had attended to the lens, the problem was solved. But this incident just proves why a photographer always needs a clear mind as well as a clear lens.

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

Way To Go

What Is This Mystery Object?

Photograph copyright: DAVID McMAHON

What's mustard-yellow, shiny, has glass panels and moves very quick? I'll let you ponder the challenge before I give you the answer.

Is it a superbug? Is it a UFO? Is it a helmet belonging to one of the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers?

Very often, an everyday object takes on a completely different look if you shoot it from an unusual angle. I took this shot last month while I stood on the platform at Bukit Bintang station in Kuala Lumpur. My family and I were waiting for the monorail when one pulled in on the opposite platform, going in the other direction.

I had my camera around my neck (hey, I was a tourist, okay?!) so it just took me a couple of seconds to work out how to take the shot to best effect. Rather than shoot a horizontal frame of the very recognisable shape, I opted instead for a vertical shot so that the metal and perspex formed an intriguing view.

Let me tell you, these monorails don't spend too much time at stations. A few seconds after I had taken this shot, it was off on its concrete rail and our train was approching.

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

Taurus Chorus

You Just Can't Ignorus

Photographs copyright: DAVID McMAHON

A couple of weeks ago, while I was exploring the Malaysian capital, Kuala Lumpur, with my family, I was walking a few metres behind the rest of the clan because - as I always do - I had my camera with me and I was shooting as I walked.

I caught sight of this sign on a building and hit the trigger immediately. It was a few seconds before my eyes moved down to pavement level, where I encountered this life-sized replica of a red-eyed bull.

It was coated in high-gloss paint, so I reckon it's a bull in the shiner shop.

Look carefully at the warning sign around its neck and you'll see that the penalty is not to be taken lightly. The amount of 6000 Malaysian ringgit converts to just under $2000. Despite the heroes of the Wild West, no one wants to be hit with a huge buffalo bill!

Check out the rules at Camera Critters or go to Misty Dawn.

Hard-Boiled Customers

But They're Coming Out Of Their Shell

Photograph copyright: DAVID McMAHON

There's this highly plausible theory that my camera is simply another limb of mine, hot-wired to my brain. One warm tropical night in Kuala Lumpur a few days ago, we were in bustling Chinatwon when I spotted this sight at a pavement food stall.

I reckon it wasn't just the eggs that caught my attention. Not even the speckled shells. Not even the carton. But I was immediately drawn to the metal implement, which I can only guess is used to produce a fried egg in a perfect circle. Or maybe, given its size, it's used to produce not one but two fried eggs in perfect symmetry.

And speaking of symmetry, Australian egg cartons simply have round indentations for the eggs. This is the first time I've seen hexagonal indentations in egg cartons.

Which brings me, in a roundabout way, to a question I have pondered since my college days. How do psychoanalysts prefer their eggs - boiled or Freud?

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

Glow In The Dark

Soft Colours On A Tropical Evening

Photograph copyright: DAVID McMAHON

Sometimes a photographer just gets lucky. Last week, I was walking down a main street near Kuala Lumpur’s bustling Chinatown precinct, in search of a camera store where I could buy a spare memory card. My timing could not have been better, because there was a brief tinge of delicate pink in the darkening sky.

As I looked around for the best vantage points against which I could shoot the sunset scene, I spotted these buildings further up the street, to my left. I knew if I spent a couple of minutes walking over to photograph the buildings front-on, I would miss the last vestiges of colour from the sunset.

I walked quickly across Petaling Street and got as far to the edge of the pavement as I possibly could - without toppling over into the busy traffic - to hit the shutter on this one.

Friends, Romans, Lens Me Your Ears

Test Your Eyesight With These Two Shots

Photographs copyright: DAVID McMAHON

This post is a direct result of a challenge from British blogger Imac. He recently threw down the gauntlet when he challenged me to take an unusual photograph of a camera lens. It was just before I flew out to Langkawi and Kuala Lumpur with my family and as soon as I saw his comment, I planned to photograph the famous Petronas Twin Towers reflected in a lens.

How? The simplest way. I always have at least two Sigma lenses with me, an 18-125mm lens and a 70-300mm lens. I figured the best way to do it was to have one of the Authorbloglets point the 300mm lens at the twin towers and for me to use the other lens to photograph the reflection of the towers. It would have been a simple but effective shot.

So there we were, on our way to the towers, when I spotted this unusual sight, a roadside collage comprising several small hexagonal mirrors of different colours. As usual, I trailed the rest of the family by several metres, because I kept stopping to take photographs. As soon as I saw this, I knew it would be perfect for Imac’s challenge.

If you haven’t been able to spot the reflection of my own lens in the photo above, take a look at the shot below and see how quickly you can pick it among the beautiful kaleidoscope of colours.

Incidentally, this sequence of challenges began when Crazy Cath said I’d probably be able to take an artistic shot of a bowl of peas and Maggie May echoed her words before I posted my response, called The Nobel Peas Prize. Immediately afterwards, the Texan blogger Rhea challenged me to photograph garbage (literally) and my response to that was Trash Talk.

I know what you’re thinking. You have a challenge for me, right? Leave a comment and let me know what you want me to shoot….