Looking Down A Long Way by Chipka
Close
Hover over top left image to zoom.
Click anywhere to exit.
Members remain the original copyright holder in all their materials here at Renderosity. Use of any of their material inconsistent with the terms and conditions set forth is prohibited and is considered an infringement of the copyrights of the respective holders unless specially stated otherwise.
Description
There is a Russian proverb that tells us: without a sad departure, there can be no happy reunions. Departures had taken place that day, and others loomed ahead. In a sense, there could have been sadness, but as I took a glance around, I saw familiar faces and the kinds of smiles that could—quite honestly—beam radiant energy into the depths of interstellar space. So, though there had been departures, and there were more to come, there was the moment. There were the smiles. The conversation. And countless things yet to be photographed.
Corey and Marilyn, Tara, and I had dinner close to the Westin Hotel. Indeed, we had dinner bare steps away from that location. We’d spent the day walking. We’d spent the day doing many things, all of which involved laughing and communing with our group. And though Mark, Cheri, Dave, and Juanita had been called to other engagements and responsibilities, we still felt them, still talked about the things we’d all seen, because in seeing such things together, they were more real, more solid, more significant. We were surrounded by the whole of Chicago: millions of people. Even though they were a part of what we saw (and on many ways, the subject of our observation) they had no clue as to what it was, or what meaning had just been applied to the city.
After dinner—I had beer with mine—the four of us wandered out of the restaurant in search of a street-access exit. We didn’t find one immediately. What we found was an empty, multi-story mall: an ocean of glass, refracted light, and reflections. We found near-silence. We found an elevator shaft, like the warp core from some space-going vessel native to the Star Trek franchise. We gawked. All of us. I’d seen it before. Numerous times. I’d ridden in the thing. Numerous times. As had Corey. But we gawked. And took pictures.
Marilyn and I stood next to each other, leaning over a protective railing with our cameras pointed downward and at other gravity-assisted angles. Tara and Corey did the same. Everyone saw something different, but for my part, I couldn’t help but think that in some way, we were in the engine room of some Gene Roddenberry starship. There was even a display case that recalled the lines of some sort of control station, and since I love Science Fiction in general (and sometimes even love Star Trek,) I captured a few shots of the warp reactor/elevator shaft, complete with a display case/monitoring station. I laughed at the thought, as I continue to laugh…recalling what we ate, what we talked about, and what kind of a day we had.
Now, as I post this, that Saturday night is vivid in my mind, as are the nights that preceded it. I know that the Ninja artists of Renderosity will be reunited, and that those who couldn’t be at the first get-together will be present at others.
And I know—as well—that without departures, there can be no happy reunions.
For Marilyn’s take on the same warp core—um, I mean elevator shaft—take a peek here.
Comments (21)
bimm3d
great POV and photo!!!!!
whaleman
I love the angularities and the colors! Also the Russian proverb is something I will remember, or try to! Having just had a sad departure I will look forward to a happy reunion.
Meisiekind
Thanks Chip for the tears this early on a Friday morning!! Wonderful narrative with so many truths... the biggest being: "without a sad departure, there can be no happy reunions." I drowned in your thoughts and in this marvelous image and when I close my eyes I can just see the four of you all leaning over clicking away! Just wonderful my friend!
myrrhluz
Well, I knew I would end on this one. (Though I do want to return to the previous one soon.) Not because it's the last, or even as a matched set to Marilyn's which I saw previously. But because my eyes when I opened the page, when straight to this one, mesmerized by the long plunge, the glass and the geometric shapes. I love all the strange perspectives. It is a great image in which to spend some time, trying to figure out what the distantly seen objects are. Again your words brought me into your moment and I enjoyed my time there thoroughly!
beachzz
It's funny how lately you and Tara and I can't seem to stop talking about that trip, post more fotos and words about it. It was only a bit over a month ago and it seems like a lifetime, or maybe 5 minutes ago. This crazy place seemed surreal, a shopping center with no people, except for us, the last people on earth? I wondered for a moment if that was the case.
durleybeachbum
I couldn't look at Marilyn's pic without knowing how I hate glass elevators, but you angles in this take me elswhere, like your words, and I can enjoy it as an abstract. It is odd that cliffs and treewalks are fine by me, but man made heights can sometimes, but not always, be most disturbing. So it's not vertigo, but something deeper!
tamburro
Woww!!! Fantastic image!!!!
MrsRatbag
I love these glass lines, and it DOES look like the bridge of a starship; where's the captain's chair? Great capture, Chip!
ladyraven23452
great work love it.
auntietk
I remember that moment like it was yesterday. It will be a while before I get to my elevator shots ... I'm still on Friday morning! LOL! This is a gorgeous, golden image and it's so evocative of that night for me. Thank you for this, my dear!
Xantipa
Very interesting and nice work..
romanceworks
A very intriguing shot and structure. Hard, angled, and yet with a warmth in the color. It is so true how the right companionship makes everything, even the biggest most intimidating things within a city seem manageable, approachable, and even touchable. Sharing an experience with one other person makes it twice as good. And then, coming on R'osity, and sharing it with many, well, it just keeps getting better. CC
KatesFriend
Good grief you have been busy. This shot is terrific not just for the sense of vertigo that charges through me like an electrical current. But also the deep rich amber tones in the scene which some how makes one feel calm and rational in spite of this perilous perch.
Mousson
excellent !!!
helanker
What a gorgeous shot and golden as the pure gold. It looks so beautidul and i loved the story around it too.
elfin14doaks
I didn't think my fear of heights could be provoked by a mere photo, but it was. You took a great angle here. WOW.
anaber
Absolutely!!I agree:)))We need it all..what sometimes seems to be bad it is not..because it brings good things sooner or later:)))i remember long time ago, i watched arrivals and departures of trains long distance...to watch at the feelings of the passengers...it was fascinating in several ways... And of course, as always,your photo is superb...The luminousity, the colours and the point of view grab my eye.Wonderful!!
bmac62
Ah, yes. Great POV. Why do lots of iconic Star Trek phrases come flooding to mind? How about: Scotty: On Earth, we have a saying: Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me. Chekov: I know this saying. It was invented in Russia. Well, that doesn't have much to do with glass elevators but I thought you'd appreciate the Star Trek and Russian references:-) Nice work on the photo and your narrative Chip.
kgb224
Wonderful capture my friend.
moochagoo
Reminds me Marriott Hotel in New York. Excellent.
gmvgmvgmv
Dizzying POV; nice light and texture. Wonderful capture!