A New Leash Of Life

It’s All A Matter Of Dogged Determination

Photographs copyright: DAVID McMAHON

I shot this a year ago, during my week in the Yukon. Obviously, that was several months before I decided to post a "doors" shot every Thursday, but I think this fits the theme rather well.

As a kid I read constantly, and some of the subjects that fascinated me were tales of exploration, frontier spirit and the way in which early settlers coped with harsh conditions. The Yukon is all about that and much more, which is why I reckon it is a photographer’s paradise.

Would I go back there? Yes, in a flash. And not just to knock on doors like this one, but to try and understand what the region’s gold rush heritage says about the human spirit.

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

Look Into My Eyes

You Are Feeling Very .... S l e e p y ....

Photograph copyright: DAVID McMAHON

This moose with the amazing eyes was on a footpath in Whitehorse, in Canada's Yukon. I was just walking around the city centre before leaving for the airport to catch my flight home, and I thought I'd take a few photographs while I soaked up the sun.

All right, if you must know, I shot more than a hundred images.

But when you see a wooden moose, how could you resist take a shot? I think I might have caught him napping!

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

Off The Beaten Track

Dunno About Snowmobiles, Where's That Caribou?

Photograph copyright: DAVID McMAHON

If you're wondering where this shot was taken, let me give you a clue. Yes, we have snowmobiles in Australia. But no, we don't have caribou. So you're thinking I took this shot when I was in the Yukon last year? Yep, you're right.

This was taken on the picturesque Coal Road outside Whitehorse and even though there was a cool breeze blowing off the mountains that were capped with the previous season's snow, there was brilliant sunshine on the autumn foliage all around me.

But here's a grammatical question. Does the sign apply to the caribou, as in the command "Caribou, stay on trail"? No, it takes a second or two for my brain to realise the command is for us humans, as in "Take it easy, mate, there are caribou here - so it's safer if you stay on the track."

Yup. I knew that.

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

You're Right - Black IS Beautiful

But I Didn't Argue About Who Had Right Of Way

Photographs copyright: DAVID McMAHON

These shots were taken during my trip to the Yukon late last year. We were just entering Haines Junction when we noticed a black bear crossing the Alaska Highway.

Throughout that trip, I had two camera around my neck. I had to react fairly quickly here, because the bear had already crossed the highway and was walking off into the trees. He was a fair way away from me, so it would probably have been safe to step out of the car.

But I knew that in the few seconds it would have taken me to jump out of the vehicle, walk clear and line up a shot, he would probably have disappeared. So I took the next best option and shot these through the windscreen.

Not great shots, but I'm glad I took them. Because the bear had disappeared a few seconds later.


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

U Is For Unusual

Gold, Er, Cold Prospector

Photographs copyright: DAVID McMAHON

One of the things I really appreciate about photography is that it has always enhanced my avid interest in everything around me. I was wrapping up a week in the Yukon in the first week of September last year, but could not bring myself to put my camera down.

There was just too much to see. Every street, every corner held a chance to shoot another image.

I had just finished a late lunch at Whitehorse and had about ninety minutes to kill before I left for the airport. Rather than sit down and spend a lazy spell, I opted to walk around and photograph as many scenes as I could.

I reckon I shot more than 100 frames in that time. The weather was beautiful, it was a sunny autumn afternoon and I was walking around a car park when this sight caught my eye.

A huge mural was painted on the side of a building. If the first photograph looks like a painting, it’s simply because of the way I’ve framed it. It’s the tightest of the six frames I shot very quickly, and I did that because I wanted the external pipe and the "No Standing" sign to be subtle clues without destroying the surprise.


If you look only at the first frame, you could be forgiven for thinking it’s an oil painting. It’s only when you start running your eye over the other images on this post that you realise how clever the artwork is and how beautifully the artist has incorporated the many irregular surfaces on the building’s façade.

It’s an intriguing piece of giant art, but I have no idea who actually painted it. I could not find a plaque with the artist’s name, but I have to conclude that the project was either organised or endorsed by the authorities of Whitehorse.

For a region that is famous for its gold rush folklore, history and culture, this rendering of a prospector would have to be a fitting tribute to a memorable period of Klondike history.


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

Log On

Just A Simple Sight By The Rocky Shore

Photographs copyright: DAVID McMAHON

I’m lucky to be able to travel to some amazing places with my camera. This was shot on the very edge of Lake Kathleen in Kluane National Park, in the Yukon.

I guess it’s a clear example of looking beyond the obvious for something to shoot.

The light was not great. It was mid-morning last September. There was a fairly strong breeze and there was heavy cloud cover. We were literally on the shale at the water’s edge and surrounded by hills to our left and right.

In front of us was the gateway to some amazing snowy peaks. All around us was autumn foliage that seemed to span every colour.


Yet my eye was drawn to this simple sight, so devoid of colour that it was almost a monochrome. The dappled light across the water was one factor; the beautiful variations across the wet wood of this heavy branch was another.

I only shot three frames, but I would have loved to know how long the thick branch had been there. Days? Weeks? Months? Years? A century, maybe?

Nature places many stunning sights in our path, The trick is to stop and identify them, even if they are not vivid splashes of colour.


Visit MamaGeek and Cecily, creators of Photo Story Friday.

Not The Bermuda Triangle

There's Always An Angle If You Look Closely

Photographs copyright: DAVID McMAHON

This shot was taken about six months ago, long before I even knew what this week's theme would be. I was killing about 90 minutes in Whitehorse, capital of the Yukon, before catching a flight to Vancouver and beginning the long haul home on Air Canada.

It was a beautiful autumn evening and even though there was heavy, unseasonal snow on the mountains around, it was warm in the sun. I was just in a T-shirt and jeans as I walked briskly around the city, trying to identify and shoot every arresting sight possible.

I was actually going the other way at an intersection when I looked to my right and saw the brightly painted exterior woodwork on the Town And Mountain Hotel. I had two Pentax cameras, both DSLRs, around my neck, one with my 18-125mm lens and the other with my 70-300mm lens.


But what I really wanted was to get halfway across the pedestrian crossing to frame this shot. All the way across on the other side and I wouldn't be able to frame it this way. So I waited for the lights to change, crossed halfway and dropped anchor.

To the puzzled driver in the SUV who watched me draw a bead on the shot and hit the trigger, I hope my grin and my explanation that I'm from the Land Down Under was sufficient.

But this week, as I located this shot for this specific post, I was puzzled about an important detail. Why on earth would I have wanted to get halfway across the street to shoot this when I had a long lens on one camera? I could easily have composed the shot from where I stood on the other side.


In less than sixty seconds, I had my answer. Friends and family often ask me how on earth I can remember the smallest, seemingly inconsequential details about a photograph taken months earlier. In this case, I had the evening sun right in my eyes from the other side of the street.

Yes, I could have framed the same shot from the other side, but the strong light would have washed out the colours in the shot I really wanted to capture. By venturing and stopping midway down the pedestrian crossing, I was able to shoot straight up as the sun was totally obscured by the building.

Here's the ultimate test. Can I remember which T-shirt I was wearing? Probably not.


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

The Lair Of The Tiger

Yes, I Saw This Beast In Broad Daylight

Photographs copyright: DAVID McMAHON

The last thing you'd expect is to find a tiger in Canada. Right? Wrong. There it was, in broad daylight, not far from the river bank in Whitehorse. You gotta do a double take when you see a tropical beast in the Yukon.

But you can relax. Of course it wasn't real.

But here's the interesting part. Not only did the licence plate say "Tiger", the vehicle itself sported tiger-like camouflage - as you can see from the wood-like veneer of the paintwork. And the interior of the car sported large tiger motifs.

Find that hard to believe? Just look at the image below, with the distinctive seat covers clearly visible through the rear window.


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

Baby, It's Colt Outside

Don’t Try Taking Me For A Ride

Photographs copyright: DAVID McMAHON

See the horse in this photograph? No? Look carefully. Still can’t see it? Would you like a clue? Okay, here goes - it’s a white horse.

Still can’t see it? Trust me, it’s there. No, it ain’t a figment of my imagination. Yes, there is seriously a white horse in the frame. Would I lie to you?

Okay, I’ll give you a closer look. This second shot (below) which was taken from a different angle using a different focal length, shows you exactly where the horse is. Naturally enough, it was shot outside the City Hall in Whitehorse, capital city of the Yukon.

If you look really carefully at the second shot, you'll even notice the clearly-defined shadow on the exterior wall.


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

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.

Nature's Artwork

This Foliage Stopped Me In My Tracks

Moose Creek, Yukon. Photograph copyright: DAVID McMAHON

Put Your Left Leg Out, Put Your Right Leg ...

And You Shake It All About

Photograph copyright: DAVID McMAHON

This shot was taken on the edge of Lake Kathleen in Kluane National Park, four months ago. We were just about to set off on a hike through amazing terrain when I watched this couple unload their canoe.

I was concentrating on the fall colours against the snow-capped mountains on the far side of the lake when my attention was instead caught by the body language of the two canoeists.

As they walked across the grey shale to the water’s edge, this image snapped in my head and I immediately turned my camera towards them. I had to make sure I was directly behind them so that they could not be identified.

But the real beauty, in my mind, came not just from the beauty of their surroundings but from the symmetry of their bodies and the complementary angles of their extended arms. In addition, I could not have asked for better colour contrasts, because the man on the left was wearing dark blue and the woman on the right was wearing red.

Just as they sought perfect balance in their task, I looked for exactly the same kind of balance in the image that captured their effort.

Visit MamaGeek and Cecily, creators of Photo Story Friday.

Homage To Foliage

Behold The Scarlet Carpet

Moose Creek, Yukon, Canada. Photograph copyright: DAVID McMAHON

How Does Your Garden Grow?

Do You Have To Water These Metallic Flowers?

Photographs copyright: DAVID McMAHON

Okay, so they’re not the sort of flowers you would expect, but I could not resist this shot. It was taken in the Yukon late last year, as we drove from Fox Creek to Dawson City. It was a quick refuelling stop and as always, I wandered around looking for unusual sights.

This was in Braeburn, which, as a nearby sign proclaimed, is one of the checkpoints in the famous Yukon Quest.

These metal flowers on a bench caught my eye immediately, not just because of the quality of the craftsmanship, but also because the blue and silver contrasted so beautifully with the wooden border.

It was only later, when we got back into the 4WD and drove off, that a thought occurred to me. Given the solitude of the Yukon and the tiny communities that live off the historic landscape, there was a fair chance that these flowers were crafted by someone who lived locally.

I should have gone inside and asked the owners if they knew who the craftsman was. There is always a rich story behind any piece of art. It’s up to us to seek those stories out.


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

Spin Doctor

Where’s A Number Cruncher When You Need One?

Photograph copyright: DAVID McMAHON

At the outset, let me assure you I am no gambler. I don’t care about racehorses. I couldn’t give a fig about greyhounds. The gambling gene simply passed me by. Simple as that.

But I was in Dawson City in the Yukon recently and of course I had to check out the historic venue Diamond Tooth Gertie’s, famous not just for being a non-profit casino but also for its excellent floor show. This shot was taken just before the cabaret started, while I was trying to get the best results in low-light conditions.

Yup, you could say I was gambling on the light.

Visit TNChick, creator of Photo Hunt. Today's theme: "Hope".

Snap, Crackle and Pop

Breakfast In The Embrace Of Snowy Mountains

Photographs copyright: DAVID McMAHON

When you're in a place as beautiful as the Yukon, all that matters is the scenery, the landscapes, the wilderness and the mountains. You're in rugged territory. The last thing on your mind is fine dining. In a place as awe-inspiring as this, it really does not matter what you eat. Appetite and how you sustain it are purely incidental.

But there is one place where you can certainly find gourmet dining. I first stayed at The Raven in 1999, when I was in the town of Haines Junction. I spent a fair bit of time chatting to the German couple who not only owned it, but had actually created it.

Hans and Christine Nelles put a certain unbridled passion into The Raven. Hans told me about how he was one of the people who actually built this dream project from the ground up, with a propane heater to shield him from the mind-numbing cold of his surroundings.


When I was invited back there a few weeks ago by Yukon Tourism, I was delighted to find Haines Junction on my itinerary and yes, I even got my old room, with its view of the mountains.

And let me assure you that the kitchen still turns out dishes that would do a major hotel chain proud. There are still crisp white linen tablecloths. The cutlery looks as if it has just been polished. The crockery is fine china. And the glasses are so well presented that you can photograph a landscape in the reflection on their pristine surface.

I took these shots at breakfast, when I spent time talking to the chef, Victor Bongo. His passion for his craft is deep-rooted and he told me of his dream to write a recipe book. It's not just an armchair project, either. He has already started photographing the dishes in order to present the whole concept to a publisher.

If a chef has such an appetite for his work, it figures that everyone who comes through the door of his restaurant is going to enjoy what is served. I hope Victor's book is coming along well and that he never says he has too much on his plate!


PS: If you're wondering why I took this last shot, which seems to be in very soft focus, look closely at the surface of the knife. You'll see that the reflection of the glass on the surface of the knife blade is what I've concentrated on.

Visit TNChick, creator of Photo Hunt. Today's theme: "Breakfast".

There’s A Bounty On His Head

No, Maybe There’s A Mountie On His Head

Photographs copyright: DAVID McMAHON

It wasn’t quite the scene in Northern Exposure, where Morty the Moose wandered in pensive fashion through the shot. But there I was, walking through the city of Whitehorse, capital of the Yukon – and sure enough, there was a moose in front of me.

Not a live moose, mind. But just as thousands of tourists before me must surely have done, I made sure I had the right angle to get the shot of the moose dressed in the uniform of a Mountie.

Yes, I had a flight to catch, but I wasn't going to miss this shot for anything. It wasn’t a cop-out.


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

Saw Point

Is That What You Use To Pick Your Teeth, Mate?

Miner's pick and saw. Moose Creek, Yukon, Canada. August 2008.

Photograph copyright: DAVID McMAHON