Spirit Of The Southern Cross

David McMahon

Spirit Of The Southern Cross

This horseback rider was concentrating so hard on the flag that I hit the trigger to capture his intensity.

He was part of the Melbourne Cup parade on Monday. I shot a series of vertical frames showing his face clearly, but this – the only horizontal frame I shot – just captures the spirit of his task.

There is a poignant touch to this image, because we were told that this small group of four or five riders were from the Victorian alpine town of Marysville. As any Aussie will tell you, Marysville was all but obliterated during the Black Saturday bushfires in February.

I do not crop, enhance or post-edit my images in any way. Shot with a Pentax K100D, using a Sigma 70-300mm lens. F5.6, 1/350, ISO 200, focal length 300mm.

Featured by my co-host in ANYTHING WE WEAR, November 2009.

Featured in YOUR COUNTRY’S BEST, November 2009.

Featured in COWBOY/ COWGIRL ART, December 2009.

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Spirit Of The Southern Cross belongs to the following groups:

! $$☻The Christmas Shop (Get Art Promoted)☺ !, ! 100% !, "Real" Life Photography (2 per day), 2-a-week, 300+ Go Long!, 60's GLORY, All Around the Styles, All Street Portraiture:(Country/CITY/)added to your description , All the Colors of the Rainbow, Anything We Wear (Including Bling!), Australia! You're Standing In it...., Australian Contemporary Photography, Australian Landmarks and Icons, Australian Portraits, Australian Travel Photography and Writing - 1 per 24hrs, Bits and Pieces , Cee's Fun Artsy Friends (no holidays cards or snapshots please), Country Victoria (Australia) 2 per day, Cowboy / Cowgirl Art, Creative Spirits of Queensland , Depth Of Field (2 images per day) - Read Group Rules Please, DSLR Users Only - 1/24 - Camera & Lens In Description Please., Everyday Life, Friends of Bangor and North Down Camera Club, Northern Ireland, Friends of RedBubble, Good News Group - Sharing & Caring, Horse and Rider , If it doesn't belong, Images & Ideas, ImageWriting (2/24), Light In The Darkness, Live and Let Live, Melbourne & Victoria, Metallic Junktion, Miniatures and Mammoths, Mood & Ambience - Strictly Photos, Nirvana (Only 1 photographic art and 1 written work will be accepted per day ), PEACE, LOVE & TRANQUILITY, PENTAX , Personal Meaning Photography, Perspectives, Rejuvenation, Rustic, Speaking Photos (Storytelling) - 2 per day -, Street Photography and Photojournalism, Style! Class! Elegance! Excellence!, Technical Photography, The Art of Intrigue 2/24, The Healing Journey, THE PHOTOGRAPHERS VAULT, The true beauty, The World, The X - Human Sentiment, This Is Relevant (2 per day), Tuesday Afternoon, Unconventional Artistry - 3 per day, Universal Innovation, Untouchables, Vibrant and Vivid Color, Victorian Viewfinders and Your Country's Best (2 images per day) Available for sale as

Greeting Cards, Matted Prints, Laminated Prints, Mounted Prints, Canvas Prints and Framed Prints
Spirit Of The Southern Cross by David McMahon
Spirit Of The Southern Cross by David McMahon
  • cherylc1

    cherylc1

    Awesome capture!

  • David McMahon replied

    Thank you, Cheryl. The story behind the image says so much as well, because a little part of every Australian heart died in those fires.

  • ~ Ademac

    ~ Ademac

    This would make a great addition to the Horse and Rider group

  • David McMahon replied

    Thanks very much for the advice, Ademac – I’ll check out the group right away. Thanks for your kindness.

  • Diana-Lee Saville

    Diana-Lee Saville

    He saw you with your camera and hid his face :P

  • David McMahon replied

    I hear you, Di.

  • John Vandeven

    John Vandeven

    Awesome shot David

  • David McMahon replied

    Thanks so much, John. Really appreciate it.

  • Betty Mackey

    Betty Mackey

    You show a lot here. Well done!

  • David McMahon replied

    Thank you, Betty. We merely record what we see. The rider gave me the moment to capture this image.

  • Shulie1

    Shulie1

    A wonderful shot, David

  • David McMahon replied

    Thanks so much, Shulie. It’s always interesting shooting images of a parade from a crowd …

  • Trish Woodford

    Trish Woodford

    This is great David, so very aussie – of course the flag but also the horse, the hat – wonderful :)

  • David McMahon replied

    Thank you, Trish. Yes, the hat is a classic Akubra. Glad you liked this shot.

  • sfmilner

    sfmilner

    Greetings David; Beautifully captured.
    steve

  • David McMahon replied

    Thank you, Steve. It was just one of those quiet moments, many metres past the media and the TV cameras – and I was privileged to be there to capture it.

  • Scott d'Almeida

    Scott d'Almeida

    excellent,

  • David McMahon replied

    Thanks so much, Scott. It is an image that I find extremely inspirational, in the light of what Marysville went through in the fires.

  • lorilee

    lorilee 29 days ago

  • David McMahon replied 29 days ago

    Thank you very much, Lorilee. That’s a truly wonderful accolade – and it really is recognition of the resilience of the people of Marysville. My deepest thanks again.

  • toriyule

    toriyule 29 days ago

    Great capture and touching story. It’s amazing how resilient some people are sfter losing everything. Congrats on your features, well deserved.

  • David McMahon replied 29 days ago

    Thank you very much, Tori. The story of the devastation of Marysville and of Kinglake simply touched the nation in February. The resilience is amazing. Thanks for your kind comment.

  • CDeblin

    CDeblin 16 days ago

    Hi David, a wonderful shot which has my vote for the ‘Inspiration Challenge’. This rider lost so much on that day but still has pride in his country – truely ‘Inspirational’.

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