Laughter with Fruit Smoothies 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
Though there was traffic, it was a walker’s day. The sky, gray and cloudy as it had been since daybreak, carried a promise of summer, an actual flavor of spring. This was a nice compensation for the absence of direct and comforting sunlight. We had no clue of the sweltering temperatures to come, though we’d heard whispers and rumors on radio and on television. In Chicago, weather reports are enjoyed for their comedic value rather than their accuracy. Their comedy, admittedly, is an accidental thing: a meteorologist brazen enough to say “partly sunny with temperatures in the high 60s” is quite hilarious when, on the promised day, it’s absolutely cloudy, windy, wet (though not raining), and cold. On the day that Corey and I found metal flamingoes in downtown Chicago, lunch in Chinatown, and rusty, industrial decay (as a dessert to our lunch,) the weather and its prediction matched. For the most part. Clouds had been predicted, with spots of sunshine. We only gone one sunshine spot: at the end of the day, but it was a glorious one. The temperatures hovered within range of what the city’s aeromancers predicted, and so all-in-all, things were calm.
It has become a custom for Corey and I to eat at a place called Seven Treasures. It is little more than a Chinese diner, a fairly spacious place with great food, decent service, really good tea (free!) and a utilitarian blandness that borders on Communism. It is a Chinese restaurant that caters to a largely Chinese, or at least pan-Asian clientele. It is where you go on lazy Sundays to see old men eating noodles and reading Chinese-language newspapers, while their wives enjoy the very same Sunday with the girls. I imagine them playing Mah Jong and listening to love songs, or something classical and rendered with strings, either plucked with extravagant picks, or hammered, delicately. It has become a habit for me, to imagine the lives of Chinatown’s residents, especially on a Sunday with some connection with Seven Treasures.
As Corey and I left the restaurant, gorged on noodles and chicken with vegetables and cashews, and a whole pot of tea all to ourselves, we snapped pictures. I turned and shot, I stalked skittish prey, and in terms of this image, I captured the moment’s display of unscripted laughter. I was also struck by the tableau in general, in the way the composition of what I’d captured seemed to follow a kind of dream-like order. I thought of it as a painting, and so, as I revisited the image, to resize it for posting, I fiddled with it digitally, to bring out the painting I’d seen. This is the result.
As always, thank you for viewing, reading, and commenting on previous posts. Hopefully you’re all having a great weekend.
Comments (23)
danapommet
Love your stories Chip! Ours is called the Lucky Corner. Order at the counter, pay and wait for them to call our number. Wonderful Hot and Sour Soup and everything comes in large portions. Plenty of tables and booths to eat in. Life is good. Great postwork and very busy background. Dana
TwoPynts
Great title, super shot. Can I have one?
beachzz
A great shot of these two who are laughing at who knows what? It doesn't matter, there's just a super good feeling. I like that a whole lot.
MrsRatbag
It is an afternoon out of time, of silky dreaminess...beautiful mood!
myrrhluz
I like the result very much! I like the way the two have become synchronized in movement as well as enjoyment of the moment. Their poses are almost identical making me notice the white and the splash of blue. I like the guy by the opened car door, caught in a rigid, questioning pose. He is probably about to swing the door shut and carry out whatever business brings him here, but now he stands straight and still forever in your image. Further away, I see an small oval face, framed in a mass of golden highlighted hair. Wonderful painted quality and color. I like the bits of yellow and the pink building in the distance. Great composition and postwork! I like this a lot!
Roxam
superb postwork
whaleman
Very nice capture Chip! The people and their expressions really complete the effect. And now that Chicago just won game one, I imagine smiles are abundant in the windy city right now. Stellar wordsmithing, as usual!
helanker
What a wonderful capture this is, Chip. I like it very much, but I really love your thoughts around your walks in chinatown with Corey. It sounds so relaxing and so cosy and ... free. I feel like I was there too. A good feeling this grey morning of mine. :-)
minos_6
What I particularly like about this image is your subjects' apparent lack of awareness that they are being photographed, contrasted with the flow of pedestrian traffic in the opposite direction, and the rapt attention of the guy next to the car. Very nice capture!
durleybeachbum
There is a delightfully comfortable feel to this pic! I once again feel I was there with you both!
Sepiasiren
what a great capture--esp like the look of the dude in the background looking as if he wants to steal the couple's smoothie--lol
Meisiekind
Just wonderful! I feel the day - the food, the companionship, the laughter! Great work Chip - it is coming together perfectly with your narrative!
jmb007
superbe photo!!
flavia49
fantastic scene!! beautiful colors and mood and great text!
auntietk
You absolutely accomplished what you set out to do with this photograph! Excellent result. The guy with the open car door is the perfect foil for your two smoothie-drinking subjects. WAY good stuff, my friend!
Bothellite
Your photo work and follow-up postwork sure captures that gray with no rain feel. There's bright light and yet it is definitely a gray day. I love those ubiquitous cups in hand and the fact that they now make ceramic exact reps of those for people who prefer no-throw-away. As usual your great observations make thinkers out of all of us.
kgb224
Wonderful capture my friend.
sandra46
TERRIFIC STREET PHOTO! I LOVE STREET SHOTS AND PEOPLE WALSKIN AND DOING WHATEVER THEY'RE DOING. I LIKE THOSE TWO GUYS SMILING, AND THE MERRY CHINESE SIGNS!
jac204
Nice story, everyone seems to be very happy. Great treatment of the photo.
CoreyBlack
I remember this day well. It's always the high light of my week when we go out together photoging. Chinatown is always fun as is that restaurant. Perhaps I should get something other than the chicken next time. I always love how we always end up getting wildly divergent shots of the same places when we go out together. I didn't even notice these guys. The post work is great and adds a bit of color and mood to what was a cloudy and rather flat looking day.
praep
Very nice scene - and a nice postwork.
lucindawind
wonderful story ..fascinating photo
Alex_Antonov
Amazing!