The Green Shirt by Chipka
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Description
I spend a lot of time on the Brown Line train: I travel north, I travel south; I travel north, again…it happens on a regular basis. It happened last spring. It will happen next weekend.
I spend a lot of time with ghosts: mundane phantoms and not those of the ectoplasmic variety. I have yet to see one of those. I rather enjoy the ghosts I do see: reflections in widows, distorted by whatever stands (or streaks) behind the glass. I also see ghosts reflected in ponds and puddles. Mirrors don't attract me as much: their reflections are often too crisp, too clean, to devoid of ambiguity. I like mirror reflections for wholly different reasons. In window-reflections I often I see faces and wonder at the lives behind them. I wonder—as well—what would happen if I look away from the reflection. Would I see the same person or thing? Or would reality and reflection exist in two separate and unrelated moments. I often entertain the thought that the person I see reflected in glass is not the person I’d expect to recognize as the reflection’s source. I think these thoughts (when I’m not immersed in a book) in order to make train commutes more interesting. I’m sure there are stories in such ruminations, but only time (and patience) will reveal them.
On the night I took this photograph, I saw a guy in a green shirt. He wore a red hat. He wore baggy pants. He spoke to a companion: one whose face I never glimpsed—not in reality and not in reflection. I don’t know what they were talking about, but I know that they spoke in Spanish. They laughed a lot. The guy in the green shirt fiddled with his hat and dialed up new songs from the playlist embedded in the memory of his iPod. It was amusing to watch him and his half-seen compatriot. I listened to what I could hear of their talk, though I couldn’t follow any of it. Spanish is one of those languages I’ve never learned to speak.
I rode the train with Corey. We’d spent the evening in Boystown and were on the way back to his apartment with camera-loads of photographs. We’d bumped into another friend of mine, Mako. I spent quite a lot of time with Mako before I went to Prague. On the night that Corey and I bumped into him, I learned that he’d been back to Japan, briefly, and to New York as well. He has returned to Chicago, though it is likely New York is the city that calls him. I wasn’t thinking about Mako when I made this picture, but in some strange way, he is a part of the night captured here. He’s somewhere in the darkness, I think. When Corey and I parted company with Mako, we learned that he was off and deep into the desire to see something interesting. I’m sure he saw something. He always does. I saw ghosts, however: non-ectoplasmic reflections in Chicago Transit Authority glass, with el platforms and cityscapes zooming by. I rather like Chicago at night, when it’s blurry and loud with the thunder of passing trains.
As always, thank you for viewing, reading, and commenting, and I hope you’re all having a great week.
Comments (24)
m_j_s
Cool shot. The streaking red light, the mobile phone in the foreground, all the little details of an underground at night! Happens to be Chicago, could be the tube in London or the Metro in Paris, or... Funny how they are all different but yet the same! Very nice shot!!
KatesFriend
Firstly, I am quite taken by this shot. It is a very clever juxtaposing of speed and stillness merging two differing accelerated reference frames into one. And let us not forget the glorious colours of the streaking lights. A fringe benefit of traveling by train. Secondly, I've seen a ghost though I prefer to refer to the manifestation as a spirit. A person I actually knew who passed away quite suddenly. He seemed to be revisiting things and places familiar. Perhaps judging whether it was truly okay to move on.
beachzz
This looks like you caught it as the train roared by, one of those moments that happen so seldom. I spent some time on trains like this in Boston, though I think most of it was thru a tequila haze. One night we were laughing so hard the people around us moved away from us. There are some interesting people on those trains!!
charpix
Awesome reflections. Have you ever considered we are seeing ghosts only not realizing that is what they are? Something to ponder.
RodS
I look at this, and the first thing that strikes me is what a great illustration of our mobile, technology-driven, speedy lifestyles these days. It sure sums up my life lately. Except I don't have a cool green shirt like that. Gotta go get one! :-D A brilliant capture, Chip!
aksirp
love this kind of urban/street/night scene! so many informations in such a small moment..
durleybeachbum
Marvellous, Chip! My sort of pic for sure. You say it all and so much but than I do in your second paragraph. MOST enjoyable!
helanker
Amazing capture indeed. I can almost hear the noice of the train and feel the movements of the train. And I like so much your thoughts around this shot too. I love when you call the reflection people ghosts. :-)
blinkings
You know have you ever noticed that the train window reflection is very flattering and makes everyone good looking!!!!! Or is that just me.....................
evinrude
Nice! Feels like something out of a Soderbergh film. Great mood!!!
flavia49
excellent
kgb224
Stunning capture my friend. God Bless.
MrsRatbag
Excellent capture of this scene within a scene!
dreampaint
wonderfull effect style ghosts and movments.
sandra46
MARVELOUS IMAGE IT LOOKS A DREAM
Lashia
Great action shot, love the reflections- thanks for sharing! :)
knupps
Thats a fantastic image and the reflections makes it an extra dimention. Great work.
auntietk
Was he talking to the man in the red shirt with pale stripes? Perhaps that man isn't really there, and I just made him up as someone for your ghost to have a conversation with. We have plans to ride the green line, perhaps on that Friday, to see Oak Park. I know I'll be as excited as a child to be on the El ... and I know exactly how you would look at me, amazed that I was enjoying such a mundane thing! :D
snakemove
I like the reflection and lights, you have a good eye for such kind of images !
CloverLinda
Wonderful mix of colours and textures. Movement or motion brings it to life :))
belasebok
Excellent, interesting photo!
jac204
Great capture and narrative.
icerian
I love this kind of "shooting". Inimitable atmosphere! 5+
dashboard_jehovah
Love the natural multi layered effect you captured...phone in the foreground green shirt guy in the mid ground red shirt guy behind the door window in the background...cool shot!