The Belmont Experiment by Chipka
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Description
I can’t say—exactly—how my creativity works: I suppose if I spent time thinking about it and dissecting it, I’d spend a lot less time being creative and a lot more time being analytical. I don’t mind being analytical, but I don’t get very much writing done that way. All I can say is that my Muse works in mysterious ways. I’m often inspired to write because I’ve heard something, or perhaps, I saw something that got my creative juices flowing. Sometimes, my writing occurs as a response to something I’ve read: a bit of disappointment, maybe…or something else hard to define. More than one story has come about simply because I felt that an author has missed the point of his or her story, and so I wrote the story as it should have been. I’m sure many writers do this in some way, though few will ever admit to it. (Nemaea is, after all, my anti-Star Trek and I wonder if Nemaea would exist if I didn’t see flaming flaws with the United Federation of Planets?
I say all of this because in a way, James Baldwin and F. Scott Fitzgerald are partly responsible for the numerous things I’ve done to a particular photograph I snapped last Saturday. It was a perfectly normal black-and-white photo: one of many, though there are a few sepia shots of the same tableau. I’d thought to post the unmodified black-and-white shot that this…um…colorful piece evolved from, but…well…James Baldwin and F. Scott Fitzgerald came on the scene, and my Muse immediately went off on a tangent…this is the end result. It’s not so surprising, really, because as I took this shot, I stood—with Corey—on Belmont Avenue, with books in a plastic bag. One such book was a re-re-reacquired copy of Giovanni’s Room by James Baldwin. It’s not one of my favorite books, but it has a particular feel to it: one that I enjoy. Giovanni’s Room is an excellent book, but its story is dated, as is its overall mentality: this doesn’t take away from one’s enjoyment of the novel and the story it conjures, but it is…frustrating. It has a feel however, and it’s one I wanted to produce through photomanipulation. This is the end result, and I find it somewhat intriguing that it bears a very vague resemblance (at least in terms of implied composition to the classic cover of Fitzgerald’s the Great Gatsby…a novel I once cut apart (after reading it) so that I’d have interesting book-marks for other books. I’ve lost all of those book-marks and guilt impelled me to buy another copy of The Great Gatsby just so I would at least have the book and give it the possibility of a future re-reading. That future hasn’t come yet, and it looks as if it won’t come any time soon. But I’ve had a chance to look at its cover again…and that set my mind into contemplations of blobs of color implying streetlights and neon. As I added “supernova” effects to this image and added colors that simply weren’t there, I started thinking about the actual story of Giovanni’s Room…and…well…this picture is the end result. (You might see it again, as it’s inspired a story that bears nothing in common with either James Baldwin [whom I like, immensely] and F. Scott Fitzgerald [whom I’m not so crazy about.] Something of each of those authors may assert itself in the upcoming tale, though I can tell you, beyond any shadow of a doubt, neither writer had much to say about androids.)
And so here you have it, the end result of an overactive muse, two books by two radically different authors, and thoughts of…androids. My Muse is an odd one, but I like odd Muses.
As always, thank you for viewing, reading, and commenting, and I hope you enjoy this image as much as I enjoyed creating it. And be warned: an android-tale is on its way, simply because of this image created in conjunction with…Giovanni’s Room? I have no idea how or why that even happened, but hey…there you have it.
Comments (24)
brewgirlca
Wow, I am glad I took the time to hash through your words because I had a totally wrong idea of how you might have done this. I thought for sure this was shot in color, mucked with in sepia and then touched up again to selectivley bring out the color that was originally there. But you say all from black and white. That is amazing. I am totally amazed, crap I just said that so I guess I must really be amazed and not just bullshitting you here. Beyond the color there is much to love here. I like the guy on the left who seems just on the edge of awareness of you. I like the guy on the right with his slight motion blur and grungy feel to his clothes that matches that quality in the overall image. And I love the thought process that you explain. I love to know how people came to create their work. It is rarely done here though Adorety and I have recently been doing some of the more technical aspects in our last few works as we hack through the newest version of poser - which by the way, finally has a much more real feel of using a camera.
KatesFriend
I am really taken by the enhanced colours and flaring lights. An urban scape as it aught to be I expect. I guess this goes to some of your thoughts about how authors can get the right feel but miss out on the right details. Watching Doctor Who for as long as I have I've often felt that way as well. If only Terry Nation had just wrote Davros' line this way... I love coloured lights and I love them most in public scene such as these.
charpix
You have an extraordinary muse. Excellent image.
auntietk
I went back and looked at the other one, and lined them up perfectly so when I flipped back and forth, the signs didn't move. (Does that make sense? Never mind ... it served its purpose, so I guess it doesn't really matter.) What I learned was that THIS photograph was taken a couple seconds before the other one, and the person-in-motion person from the other one isn't here yet. Fair enough. The fun thing was that doing that flipping thing made me feel like I was THERE, clicking the shutter. And sometimes when I take a picture I feel like Corey, or like you, or like Andrea or Denise or Arthur or any number of other photographers. It's just interesting to think about how we're linked, and now I wonder if there's some Kevin-Bacon-Six-Degrees thing going on with me and F. Scott Fitzgerald, who I don't particularly care for either. Huh. You know, my dear, there are REASONS why we're friends. :P
JuliSonne
Street photography is the "pinnacle" of photography. I like them in black / white and in exaggerated colors - like this picture! I feel involved and yet I remain at a distance with the scene. As a voyeur! Street photography encourages us to reflect on because emotions are transmitted. In this picture the boy waiting longing as an individual in the midst of the bustle of a mass. He looks lonely or bored? Or ... he waits for love, affection, the bus, from pastime ..... there are many possibilities. You have it filtered out from the crowd and given him a face. Very good work! Juli
Crabbycabby
Another winner. Great image.
netot
Wow!! This photo has a great mood. The yellows and green makes you feel the night and the city.
helanker
Who would have thought, this once was a black/white photo? Hadnt you told us it was, I wouldnt have discovered it. This is a mighty excellent peace of work.
Dreamingbee
this is really intresting photo .. a thoughtful man inside .. and around the living city great in colors - wonderful night street shot .. like it much (and sorry for not perfect english...)
kgb224
Superb capture my friend. God Bless.
bmac62
Someone has already said it, but yes, this much postworked photo does give me a feel for the night. As for you accompanying words, which I always enjoy to the max, now I know how a pinball must feel...smacked hard, accelerated, bouncing off pillar and post, lights flashing, bells ringing...slowing down now...gently bumping, bumping and at last dropping out of sight to soon do it all over again [on your next post];-). Wow.
thecytron
AmaZZZZZZZZZZzzzzzzzzzing night life capture!
MrsRatbag
I do like the feel of this; I think I see things more coloured than most, and this doesn't look at all out of the ordinary in terms of hue and saturation to me :) I'm sure it's a whole 'nother mood in B&W or sepia... Nicely done, Chip!
durleybeachbum
Bill has put it very well! Marvellous!
Orinoor
I love what you've done and now feel compelled to go look at some of my own B&W images with new thoughts. It's great when you write about how you think, I find myself nodding a lot, then of course, I absolutely loved how Bill described your thought process or rather it's effect on him, as a pinball. I laughed out loud...
flavia49
fantastic prose and image
RodS
Well, like Roxy, I thought this was originally in color, and just maniped with a bit. I love the fact you shot it in B&W then added the color - I'm gonna have to try that one of these days.... I love the gritty, urban feel here - excellent, Chip!
sandra46
EXCELLENT AS USUAL! GREAT IMAGE!
wysiwig
This made me think of Ralph Ellison's The Invisible Man. In this great wide city, crowds of people pass by and no one sees him. I can understand that this image would inspire a story. It speaks of all sorts of possibilities. Superb coloring of this black and white image. The traffic lights are particularly well done. A long time ago I read a quote from James Baldwin. Perhaps you are familiar with it: "Not everything that is faced can be changed. But nothing can be changed until it is faced." Especially appropriate for our times, don't you think?
Sepiasiren
You have highlighted why I will always be a city gal. Now, do not get me wrong here, the country and burbs are lovely and have especially wondrous elements of their own. But like Zsa Zsa Gabor I suppose the glittering lights, the gritty darks, shadowed energy and far too in your face cool realism of the city is just my cup of tea. Even as a girl I could feel an attraction to this side of life though I grew up in a lot of rural areas. There is something majestic, torn and electrifying about urban life. All those humans entangled in one space--not wanting to know one another but somehow KNOWING one another if you get me. FAB. You have captured that "KNOWING yet not knowing" aspect here--and the electricity--the colors APTLY underscore all these elements, so whatever your process it was time well spent. Humph, makes me long to live amongst the tribe again.. Damn the burbs...
evielouise
The photo from a B & W is super I love it Now I take a different view (as I read others here ) On the person leaning against a pole ,I rather thought of a female as the hips remind me of one perhaps I'm wrong: As my thoughts to the whole picture,it running through my brain and reminds more of here in California' hollywood and vine' it kind of has the same type of look and it's difficult to put in words however ,which takes me to your words and I think wow what a great writer you are love it all!!
angora
wonderful!!!
jocko500
a common site on the sidewalks in your city and you made it a eye catcher with people and lights of the night. you put things into your world of thought and produce it to the world with image and words.
tibet2004uk
Oh yes! I think I like this one even better. Once again, very powerful atmosphere which, to me, is one of the most important thing in photography.